24 year old son Peter got married shortly before his death on 14th of August 1940, when he failed to return from an interception patrol. His wife gave birth to a son, also called Peter, in Spring 1941.
On 5th February 1941, Flying Officer Lewis's Hawker Hurricane (P3920) was hit and the engine caught fire. He radioed his position and baled out of his burning aircraft, but sadly, lost his life in the icy waters of the English Channel.
F/O George was one of three 64 Squadron pilots lost on 29th May, 1940.
On 18th March 1944, 403 squadron RCAF, lost Flying Officer Richard Wright Denison, an experienced pilot on his second tour of operations..
On 5th October 1942, Pilot Officer Robert Gordon Riddell died in a training accident after only two days with 401 squadron RCAF.
Robert was with 416 squadron while they were at Redhill in the Autumn of 1942 and then moved with them to RAF Kenley only two days before he lost his life flying Spitfire Vb EP493, on the 3rd February, 1943
On 5th February 1941, Flying Officer STANISLAW CZTERNASTEK was returning from a Circus bomber escort operation, flying Hurricane I V7598 Code: KW-U , when, in thick fog, he collided with another Hurricane (V6618) piloted by P/O. Bronislawa Wydrowski
On 16th February 1943, an afternoon fighter sweep (Rodeo 170) turned into a disaster for Kenley's Canadian wing.
VICTOR OLIVER REYNOLDS was born in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire in 1892. His Father Acton Reynolds was a journeyman butcher. By 1901, the Reynolds family were living at 22 Castle St, Reading. Victor had two sisters, Cordelia and Dora, and one brother Charles.
Born on 22 February 1916, William Davies Eccleton was the son of William Christopher and Frances Mary Eccleton of Levin, Wellington, New Zealand.
William Douglas Willis, the son of Henry Samuel and Alice Margaret (nee Nice) Willis, was born in South Yarra, Victoria on 26 April 1917.
William Wallace Anderson enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) two days after his first wedding anniversary.
Francis Victor Beamish was born in Dunmanway, County Cork, Ireland, on 27th September, 1903, - three of his brothers served in the RAF and also attained high-ranking positions.
On the afternoon of 25th April, 1942, Squadron Leader "Hawkeye" Wells led the Kenley Wing on Circus 137. Group Captain Corner was shot down and baled out too low over the Channel. Having no known grave, he is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial.
Junior Technician Richard William Blatch was born in Gosport, the son of Leonard and Winifred Blatch. He died of exposure after being caught in a blizzard while training, in Snowdonia, for a climbing expedition.
Alfred Percy Hall was born on 18th May, 1901, and baptised at St. Matthew's, Northampton. For reasons unknown, he went absent without leave from 31st July, 1924, and it appears that he drowned in unknown circumstances, sometime around 5th August.
Thomas Holroyd was the foster son of Alfred E. and Zoe Colley of Liverpool. He was a Flight Mechanic with No.615 (County of Surrey) Squadron.
Not all the deaths of RAF Kenley related personnel were due to enemy action. One such was the tragic death of Leading Aircraftman William Spirrell in Devon on 7 June 1940.
LAC William John Tanner was the son of William and Emily Tanner, of Old Coulsdon. He was married to V. J. Tanner, of Old Coulsdon.
On 12th September, 1918, Lieutenant Frederick Plummer took off from Kenley in an Armstrong Whitworth FK8, (F3453), on a ferry flight to France. He had ascended to 200ft and started to turn, when a gust of wind caught the aircraft and it lost flying speed and nose-dived into the ground, wrecking the machine and killing Frederick instantly.
Pilot Officer Albert Emmanuel Alex van den Hove d’Ertsenrijck, was seen by an eyewitness, Don Key, to try and make a forced landing in a meadow adjacent to the River Stour but the pilot jumped at very low level (possibly hoping to fall into the water), struck a tree and was killed.
On 17th January, 1943, No.402 Squadron, RCAF, paid a terrible price when they headed across the Channel on a fighter sweep, (Rodeo 151), with No.401 and No.412 squadrons - three pilots missing.
Anthony was born in Prestwich in December 1919 and then educated at St. Peters Court, Broadstairs, and Rugby School. He was a proficient sportsman.
Pilot Officer Jenkins was born in May 1919 and was the son of the Revd. Canon William Owen Jenkins, D.D. and Horatia Mary Jenkins, of St. Andrews. Fife.
