OLD AZURIANS

George Alfred Acton: Corporal in 139 Squadron,  RAF.  He died on 18 May 1941, aged 23. Buried in St. Mary Storrington churchyard. A poignant record, as his father Pte. George Acton was killed in 1918, only three days before the Armistice. His widowed mother Sarah Ethel lived in Storrington.

Born 8/11/1917; school years 1930-33.

 

Donald Raymond Ansell: Sub Lt. RNVR in the Fleet Air Arm, on passage aboard the armed Merchant Cruiser HMS Alcantara. Killed in the South Atlantic 20 March 1943 aged 22. Commemorated on Lee-on-Solent Memorial. His parents George and Ann lived in Station House Shoreham where George Ansell was the railway stationmaster.

Born 10/2/1921. School years 1932-37.

 

Eric Richard Victor Ashcroft: Flying Officer RAF Killed on 1 April 1943 aged 20 when his Lancaster bomber ED626 crashed at Hulshorst, Holland. Buried in Harderwijk General Cemetery, Gelderland, Netherlands. His parents Harold and Millicent lived at 18 Liverpool Gardens, Worthing. He was still at school when war broke out. His ambition for many years had been to make the RAF his career and at 17½ he added a few months to his age so that the RAF would accept him. He gained promotion quickly from his initial rank of A/C2, achieved flight crew status, and prior to his final mission had completed nearly 30 missions over enemy territory. He was well-known in Worthing for his appearances in Sunday night concerts at the Pier Pavilion when he performed Stanley Holloway monologues.

orn 21/6/1922; school years 1937-39.

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Harry Francis (Jim) Beauchamp: Aircraftman 2nd Class  RAFVR died 12 November 1940 after being taken ill, aged 19. Buried in All Saints Yatesbury churchyard.  His parents Harry Home and Ellen Bridget lived in Worthing.

Born 21/5/1921; school years 1/33-9/33.

 

Hugh Blakiston Bowen: Aircraftman 1st Class RAFVR age 18 died 16 May 1942 whilst training to be a wireless operator/gunner. Buried at Durrington Cemetery on19 May 1942. Widowed mother lived at 77 Poulters Lane.

 Born 10/6/1924; School years 1936-39.

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Bernard Alan James Boyse: Sgt. RAFVR of 86 Sqdn. killed 21 July 1941 aged 24, commemorated on Runnymede Memorial. His parents Arthur, F.R.C.O and Dorothy lived in Worthing. Born 8/4/1914; school years 1929-34.

 

Kenneth Douglas Brant DFC: Pilot Officer RAFVR was awarded the DFC for service with 10 Sqdn. (Gazetted March 1941). Returning from a raid on Berlin on 9 September 1940, the Whitley bomber P4967 in which he was 2nd pilot ran out of fuel and had to make a crash landing on the North Yorkshire Moors but none of the crew were injured. When flying as an instructor at 21 OTU based at Kinloss he was killed on 26 June 1941, aged 21, when his Whitley bomber N1379 crashed soon after take-off. He was buried at Durrington cemetery on 2 July 1941. Son of William Francis and Florence Stella of Brighton Road Worthing. In civilian life he was a solicitor’s clerk. Born 10/3/1920; school years 1930-34.

 

Harold Bristow: Lance Bombadier, 77 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, died after a shooting accident on 5 September 1940, aged 25. Buried in Durrington Cemetery on 9 September 1940. His parents Clement Bristow MBE, DCM and Caroline Mary, and his wife Ivy Aileen all lived in Worthing.

Born 19/1/1915; school years 1924-31.

 

Austin Gordon Brown: Civilian casualty age 21 killed by a flying bomb in London 23 August 1944. He was employed by Standard Telephone & Cable Co., working in an Experimental Department concerned with the top secret and vitally important field of radio location. He had been accepted and enrolled for RAF aircrew and had already received his joining instructions, but they were cancelled and he was sent back to STC because his work there was much more important. He was entering the STC works when the bomb struck. His remains were interred at Durrington Cemetery on 29 August 1944.  He had been a keen swimmer and rugby player and a member of the School Gymnasics team. Lived at 10 Parkfield Road Worthing.  Father H G Brown was a salesman at the Cork Exchange in London.

Born 26/1/1923, school years 1933-37.

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Harry James Brownings: This 28-year-old Merchant Navy 2nd Officer in SS Essex was among about 30 casualties (16 dead) when German dive-bombers attacked Grand Harbour, Malta on 16 February 1941. A large bomb penetrated two decks of the ship and exploded in the engine room. Essex's cargo of guns, ammunition, torpedoes, and twelve crated Hurricane fighters, all of which were vital for the defence of Malta., were subsequently retrieved successfully.  Commemorated on Tower Hill Memorial. His parents were Edward James and Martha; his wife Bertha Annie lived in Crescent Road Burgess Hill.

Born 7/9/1912; school years 1924-28