RAF Bradwell Bay as most WW2 airbases lost number of aircrews, some died and others becoming prisoners of war. Bradwell Bay’s dead are commemorated on an unusual memorial. While many people assume it is of a crashed Mosquito Aircraft, in fact it is a generic aeroplane that the designer’s intention was to represent all aircraft of all sides who flew in the Second World War. Looking against the sky the tail of the aircraft represents a cross. This memorial is unique.
Memorial Project
There are over 120 names on the memorial, however, this is not totally correct. The RAF Bradwell Bay Preservation Group has a project to research all of the names on the memorial and add more names as research reveals them.
Each person’s background and service in WW2 is being researched, together with as many photographs are available. This research is almost halfway through but does take time to compile. Eventually this will be published as a book.
We are working with the Parish Council to renovate and restore the memorial, hopefully improving disabled access.
If you visit us at events we have a folder with the work so far, ask to see it.
As well as cemeteries across Britain and Europe some of our crews were buried at the military cemetery in Brookwood Surrey, those whose body was never recovered are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, also in Surrey.
There are actually 139 people who should be on the memorial, see the roll below.
They flew from RAF Bradwell Bay and made the ultimate sacrifice
Rank Name Age
P/O M.G. Abey 26
Sgt. A.J. Adams 22
F/O J Affleck 23
F/S M.G. Aldworth 20
F/S J Anderson 31
F/O R.J Askwith 23
F/L E.C. Ball DFC 33
F/L J.R. Beckett 27
F/S E.H. Behrent 23
S/L J Berry DFC & 2 Bars 24
F/O A.H. Biggs 34
P/O R.G. Blamires 21
F/L G.L. Bonham DFC 23
Sgt. G.E. Fallis 28
Sgt. F Bradley 20
Sgt. R.J. Blenkarn 21
F/O J.R. Brockbank 24
F/S N Breward 29
F/L N.A. Buchanan 28
P/O W.L. Buchanan 22
Sgt. J.J.G Chabot 25
Sgt. H.G. Challicombe 22
F/S J.A.A. Chantlry 23
F/O T.M. Cipriani 22
F/S I Clark 24
F/S J.C.E Clarke 19
P/O M.B. Collings 21
Sgt. J.C.E Colter 21
Sgt. A.M.F. Cook 22
Sgt. G.M. Cridge 20
P/O S.B. De Mier 32
F/Sgt, R.R. Jackson 23
Sgt. A.S. Douglas 23
P/O F.C. Downing 27
Sgt. R.G. Dusten 23
P/O D Duxfield 27
P/O A Eastwood 25
F/S E.F. Edwards 26
F/L D Edynvean 27
F/O O.P. Faraday 31
P/O J.J.A. Field 22
Sgt. H. Firth 19
P/O R.H. Foote 24
F/S J.A. Foran 23
P/O P.C. Foster 24
P/O D.N. Green 23
Sgt. H.L. Green 23
Cpl B Kapusta 21
F/L J.A. Gunn 23
Sgt. G.W. Harding 18
Sgt. G.J. Hardy 24
F/S G.N. Hayes 22
F/O L.V. Hayes 23
F/O O.L.R. Hills 38
S/L D.O. Hobbis DFC 33
F/O H.G. Holtrop 33
F/O A.D. Hone 24
W/C B Howard 29
P/O J.W. Hutchinson 21
Sgt. D.S. Hutt 24
F/O G.O. Hyne 23
W/O H.J.P. Hymas 23
Sgt. R.V. Levers 21
F/O P.J. Leboldus 25
S/L M. Negus DFC 24
F/O A.J. Gapper 28
F/S R.A. Creek 22
P/O R.W. Lornie 22
F/O B.S James 20
Sgt. E.C.L. Jones 32
P/O T.E.E. Keyes 20
F/O W. Kemp 25
F/L L.V. King 22
F/L G.J. Lane 23
P/O G.J. Lawson 34
P/O N.A. Leavers 22
W/O M.R. Lockwood 21
P/O K.C. Loe 23
P/O M.L.F. Longworth 26
Sgt. K Macura 23
Sgt. A.C. McBain 31
P/O J.A. McLafferty 32
W/O J.F. McEwen 21
F/S H.A. Potter 2
P/O P.C. McGillacuddy 24
P/O C.G.T. McGregor 23
P/O C.D. Marshall 20
Cpl F.J.G. Miller 26
Sgt. A.J.R. Millman 21
P/O K.J. Mulcair 21
F/S F.P. O’Brien 23
F/S C.O. O’Brien 26
P/O R.S. Patterson 23
P/O J.W.R Pavitt 31
P/O A.T. Persian 26
P/O J.H. Petrie 21
F/L J.A.H. Pinny MC 24
S/L L.H. Wilkinson 27
F/O J.R.E. Porter 26
P/O W.M Poupore 20
F/S H.E. Prime 25
F/S G.M. Riches 20
F/O T.R. Riwai 25
Sgt. O Samberger 28
F/S R.P. Shannon 27
P/O N.J. Stabb 30
F/O I.N. Stein 21
F/S R.J.B. Stenuit 22
F/S C.E. Stuart 24
F/O P.F. Sturges 21
F/O F.D. Topping 35
F/O F.W. Turvey 24
F/L H.S.L. Underwood 22
Sgt. A Vanko 29
S/L M.H. Viscount Clive 38
Sgt. R. Walker 22
P/O G.S Warming 32
F/S K.J. Watson 20
F/O P.K. White 27
P/O R White 25
P/O H.H. Whitfield 22
P/O R.E. Williams 20
F/L R.H. Williamson 28
F/O A.W. Wilson 21
F/O C.M. Wilson 20
F/S G.R. Wright 20
P/O W.F. Young 20
F/O A. Zalenskys 34
F/L R.C Pickering 23
F/O E.J. Edwards 21
F/L Z. Z.Donda 23
Sgt S.R. Williams 26
F/L L.A. Komaroff 26
F/L R.R. Law 21
Sgt S. Swiecicki 26
Sgt C.H. Ross 28
ATC C Hull 17
Sgt C H Walder 32
F/S G.E. Fallis 28
The average age of those who died was 24.5.
The youngest was ATC Cadet Colin Hull who was 17
Thee Oldest was Sqn Leader Mervyn Horatio Clive aged 38