Adair, William Alexander Gallantry

Flying Officer William Alexander Gallantry Adair

Adair was born at 28 Bishop Street, Londonderry on 9th July 1920 to William Adair, Undertaker and Mabel Adair nee Brown. They had married on 22nd March 1906 at Ebrington Presbyterian Church.

Adair probably joined the Belfast Banking Company in 1918. His father signed the Bankers Guarantee for him giving his address and occupation as Spring Grove, Londonderry – Funeral Director and Motor Hirer.

Belfast Bank - Bankers Guarantee ledger sheet

Adair left the Bank for War Service on 1st July 1939 and returned from Active Service on 23rd September 1946.

 
Adair resigned from the Bank on 31st October 1946. The following shipping manifest gives his occupation as a Funeral Director and Motor Hirer and Pharmacist.

 
The London Gazette records a W A G Adair with Service Number 1795420 being promoted from Pilot Officer to Flying Officer in 1961. His first names were confirmed against his Service Number in a 1958 London Gazette edition.

The Londonderry Sentinel of 25th October 1952 reports on the wedding of W A G Adair to Miss Joan Margaret Taylor at Carlisle Road Presbyterian Church, Londonderry.

William and Joan returned from their honeymoon in Madeira, Portugal to Plymouth, England arriving on 8th November 1952 on the ship Venus of the Bergen Steamship Company.

Shipping Passenger Manifest

Lilburn, Joseph Lockington

Flight Lieutenant Joseph Lockington Lilburn

Lilburn was born at Belfast Bank House, Dundalk on 22nd September 1919 to Robert Stanley Henry Lilburn, Bank Manager and Martha Elizabeth Lilburn nee Lockington. They had married at Castlebellingham, Co. Louth on 5th December 1917.

Belfast Bank, Dundalk branch & house

(Following partition, the BBCo sold its branches (& staff) to the Royal Bank of Ireland)

Lilburn joined the Belfast Banking Company on 4th May 1937. His father signed the Bankers Guarantee and gave his address as 11 Temple Villas, Palmerston Road, Dublin. At time he was working for the Royal Bank of Ireland Ltd following his legal transfer from the Belfast Bank.

Belfast Bank - Bankers Guarantee ledger sheet

Lilburn (21) married a Miss Eileen Parke (18) on 14th November 1940 at St Polycarp's Church of Ireland.

He once wrote: 

“…. Had there not been no war, I should not have thought of getting married until I have at least 10 years service in the Bank….”

Lilburn volunteered and enlisted into the RAF (Volunteer Reserve) and rose through the ranks to Warrant Officer (Service Number 745459). He was promoted to Pilot Officer (with Service Number 156634) on 11th July 1943, Flying Officer on 11th January 1944 and Flight Lieutenant on 18th March 1945. He was then retained permanently on the RAF Active List until 1954. 

A family friend of Joseph is in possession of copies of his Log Book describing every flight he made during and after the war. 

‘Paddy' Lilburn, as he was known, initially flew from RAF Eglinton Airport (now known as the City of Derry Airport). He flew Hurricanes and Spitfires during the war but did not take part in the Battle of Britain due to being posted to Scotland. Later he flew missions over Europe. 

The Northern Whig of 6th December 1945 carries a report from Saigon, Vietnam:

There were a few golfing reports in papers around 1946. 

Lilburn was a member of the Belfast Banking Company Sports Club on 24th April 1946 paying 5 shillings subscription. He served in Head Office and North End branch. 

Lilburn  resigned from the bank on 11th July 1946 instead choosing to stay in the RAF. 

The Belfast News-Letter of 19th December 1947 reported the divorce of Joseph Lilburn and Mrs Eileen O Lilburn with Mrs Lilburn retaining custody of their 2 children.

 

Lilburn died on 14th November 2002 in Horsham, West Sussex. He was described as a retired Fighter Pilot.

The Somme Museum, Conlig holds a guitar inscribed with the signatures of many servicemen including J L Lilburn.

Photos courtesy of the Somme Museum