Connor, Desmond William

Flying Officer Desmond William Connor

Connor was born at 41 Rathdrum Street, Belfast on 1st February 1920 to Samuel Edgar Connor, Civil Servant and Florence Jane Connor nee Ballentine. They had married on 4th July 1912 at St. Mary Magdalene Church of Ireland, Belfast.

Connor joined the Belfast Banking Company on 1st June 1938 and is recorded as working in Dungannon branch. His father signed the Bankers Guarantee for him with an address recorded as 95 Marlborough Park North, Belfast.

Belfast Bank, Bankers Guarantee ledger sheet

Belfast Bank, Dungannon branch

Connor volunteered and enlisted to serve with 19 Sqn, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. He was later promoted to Flying Officer with Service Number 132894.

Connor flew a Mustang fighter aircraft (III HB827). At the time of his death, he was strafing military transport during the afternoon and had been hit by flak. The plane crashed into a house. He was Killed in Action on 18th August 1944.

 
Connor is buried in the St. Desir War Cemetery, Calvados, France. PRONI Will Calendars records "Connor, Desmond William, 61 Marlborough Park North, Belfast. Flying Officer R.A.F. died 18th August 1944 in France on active service. Administration Belfast 29th October to Samuel Edgar Connor civil servant. Effects £164 6s. 5d."

Headstone - D W Connor

St. Desir War Cemetery, Calvados, France

Charlton, William Frederick Dixon

Pilot Officer William (Billy) Frederick Dixon Charlton

Charlton was born in Lurgan on 20th October 1919 to Clement John Charlton, Hardware Merchant and Sarah Eleanor Charlton nee Shields. They had married on 26th December 1917 at Railway Street Presbyterian Church, Lisburn. 

Originally from Emyvale, the family had moved to Gilford Road, Lurgan in 1927. There was a second son, John (Jack) and a sister Betty. 

Known as Billy, he attended Lurgan College from September 1932 until December 1936. On leaving school Charlton joined the Belfast Bank and was working in the Londonderry branch when war broke out. His father signed his Bankers Guarantee for him giving his address as Gilford Road, Lurgan.

Belfast Bank, Bankers Guarantee ledger sheet

Belfast Bank, Londonderry branch

Charlton enlisted in January or February 1940, eventually going to the RAF College, Cranwell from which he graduated as a Pilot Officer. He was serving with 408 (RCAF) Sqn Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve when he was killed in action on 1st June 1942. He was based at RAF Balderton, Newark-on-Trent, England and flew Hampden bomber aircraft. Whilst on a mission known as Operation Essen (a 1,000 bomber raid), his Lancaster Bomber was shot down by a night-fighter (piloted by Lt Karl-Heinz Vollkopf) and crashed into the Ijsselmeer lake.

The RAF 'Loss Card'

Newspaper report
courtesy of Nigel Henderson

Charlton is buried in Harderwijk General Cemetery, Gelderland, The Netherlands. 

His crew are buried in Amersfoort (Oud Leusden) General Cemetery. They were Flight Sergeant F J E Womar DFM, Pilot Officer C I A Sandland and Sergeant A Marland. 

Charlton is also remembered on a family headstone in Lurgan New Cemetery, Lurgan, Co. Armagh and on a stained glass window in Hill Street Presbyterian Church, in his memory. Both photos courtesy of Nigel Henderson.

Family headstone, Hill Street Presbyterian Church, Lurgan

Memorial Window, Hill Street Presbyterian Church, Lurgan

The Belfast Telegraph recorded the following death notice for the brother of W F D Charlton: 

CHARLTON, JOHN CLEMENT (DR.) (JACK) - Passed away July 10, 2013, in Derby, after a short illness, aged 90, formerly of Hillside, Gilford Road, Lurgan, and latterly Mickleover, Derby, former pupil at Lurgan College and student at Queens University, Belfast, where he qualified in Medicine in 1946. Short Service at Hillside Lurgan at 11.30 a.m. on Saturday 10th August 2013, followed by the interment of ashes at Lurgan Cemetery at midday alongside his loving wife, Maureen. Donations to RAF Benevolent Fund, in memory of his brother W F D Charlton, killed in active service in 1942, c/o Malcomsons Funeral Service, 7 Robert Street, Lurgan, BT66 8BE.