Kerr, Holman Gordon Stanley

[The Lurgan Mail, Saturday, September 27th, 1947

Courtesy - Old Lurgan Photos Facebook group]

Flying Officer Holman Gordon Stanley Kerr

Kerr was born on 8th January 1922. He was known as Gordon and was the son of Thomas John Kerr and Evelyn Margaret Kerr nee Black, of Lurgan, Co. Armagh. They had married on 5th September 1917 at Armagh Methodist Church.

Kerr was educated at Lurgan College from 3rd September 1934 until 31st July 1940.

Soon after leaving school, Kerr joined the Belfast Banking Company and worked in Rathfriland branch. His father signed his Bankers Guarantee for him.

Belfast Bank - Bankers Guarantee ledger sheet

Belfast Banking Company, Rathfriland

Kerr volunteered and enlisted in the RAF with promotions taking him to Flying Officer with Service Number 185226. F/O Kerr served with 514 Sqn Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.

The following photographs have been given to me by Benjamin Cleynen, Belgium. Benjamin is a member of a local historical society..

Kerr was stationed at RAF Waterbeach, Cambridge, England. On the night of 5th March 1945, the crew flew Lancaster bomber aircraft (I NN775 JI-F2) on an operation to Geisenkirchen (Benzol Plant). 

Art by Michael Ferns

The plane crashed at Bunsbeek, Belgium and all seven crew were killed. Three bodies were recovered and placed in a communal grave with 7 headstones in Heverlee War Cemetery. Gordon was not one of them. The others, including Gordon are still in the buried remains of the plane. A memorial ceremony was held at the crash site on Remembrance Sunday, 11th November 2015 with officials attending from Germany, UK, Australia and the Belgian Air Force.

Referenced to: http://www.dankat.com/kerr/chap2.htm

On 11th November 2015, the Mayor of Bunsbeek, Belgium together with the British, Australian and German Ambassadors attended a Remembrance service to commemorate the crew from 3 aircraft (A Wellington, a Junkers 88 and Lancaster NN775) that crashed near the village.

Shortly, a special team will start to scan the area to identify the exact location of the Lancaster and if found, they will start the excavation and recovery.  This will be undertaken under the strict guidance of the RAF, RAAF and the Belgian Air Force.

See the Reuniting of the crew of RAF Lancaster NN775 for the November 2016 update.

Crash site

Benjamin Cleynen and his father at the crash site

The crew are buried in Heverlee War Cemetery.

The graves of the 7 crew lie together.

Flying Officer H Gordon S Kerr

Flying Officer F Clarke

Sgt C G Hogg

Sgt W Marsden

Flight Sgt A Olsen (RAAF)

Flight Sgt F Smith

Sgt H P Thomas

Gordon Kerr is also commemorated on the Lurgan War Memorial.

Overloon War Museum, The Netherlands

The remains of the aeroplane known as RAF Lancaster NN775 were moved to the Overloon War Museum, The Netherlands and are permanently on display laid out on a plane template.

Overloon War Museum - RAF Lancaster NN775 exhibit

(photos by Gavin Bamford on 25th July 2023)

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 (Billy) 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.

Best, Walter John

Sergeant Walter John Best 

Best was born at Buncrana, Co. Donegal on 3rd June 1912 to David Best, Railway Servant and Rebecca Jane Best nee Dinsmore. They had married on 6th April 1909 at Muff, Co. Donegal. A son, David was born on 4th October 1910 at Buncrana, Co. Donegal.

In 1911 the parents and 1st born, David Thompson Best (0) were living in house 342 in Buncrana, Co. Donegal. A sister of his father, Sarah Anne Best (17) was also living in the property.

Best was educated at Foyle College, Londonderry and was a member of the 1st Eleven Rugby team. The Londonderry Sentinel of 9th October 1930 reported Walter as obtaining his Junior Certificate.

On 8th June 1931, Best joined Northern Bank at Head Office. The address on his Staff Record card was William Street, Raphoe.

Northern Bank, Head Office, Victoria Street, Belfast

Transfers followed to Newtownstewart (1931 - Junior), Dungannon (1932 - Junior), Markets (1934 - Junior), Portadown (1938 – relief), Head Office (1938 – relief), Kells (1938– relief), Carrick-on-Shannon (1938 – relief), Head Office (1939) and Crumlin Road (1939 - Junior).

Northern Bank, Newtownstewart branch

Northern Bank, Law Courts, Victoria Street, Belfast branch

On 22nd July 1940, Best was ‘Called up for Active Service’ into the North Irish Horse as a Trooper with Service Number 7904280.  Promotion followed to Lance Corporal, Corporal and Acting Sergeant (Gazette 23rd September 1943).

The Belfast News Letter reported on 24th September 1943 that Acting Sergeant W J Best had been ‘Mentioned in Despatches’.  

Best was serving with "A" Sqn. North Irish Horse, Royal Armoured Corps as a Sergeant when he was Killed on Active Service on 23rd May 1944 aged 31 during the first day of the assault on the Hitler Line, Italy.

Best is buried in the Cassino War Cemetery, Italy.

Photograph taken by Paul Reed while visiting Cassino War Cemetery, 2003.

The Londonderry Sentinel of 13th June 1944 reported:

The North Irish Horse 'war diary' records the following:

" ....On Thursday evening, 25th May, a burial service was held in the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade Cemetery where a plot had been reserved for the North Irish Horse.  The cemetery lies about four and a half miles to the south of Pontecorvo and is enclosed on three sides by oak trees, the open side looking across the Liri Valley towards the historic Monastery Hill and Mount Cairo.  It was fitting that the men of the North Irish Horse should be buried near their Canadian comrades in arms, who fought and fell with them in the Adolf Hitler Line.  The 23rd of May took heavy toll of the regiment. Thirty-two of our friends were buried in that plot of land.  A simple and moving Service of Consecration was held at the cemetery and the site has left associations deeply imprinted upon the minds of the Canadian and British Troops concerned. ...."

The thirty-two men were later reburied in the Cassino War Cemetery, Italy.

Best is also remembered on a family headstone at St Eunan's Cathedral, Raphoe, Donegal.

Images and information from the findagrave website.

McManus, Hugh

Hugh McManus

[Photo courtesy of Gemma Crutchley]

McManus was born at xxx on 26th September 1921 to Hubert McManus, Bank Official and Kathleen McManus nee Pyper. They had married on 5th October 1920 at Fortwilliam Presbyterian Church, Belfast.

McManus joined the Belfast Banking Company on 17th April 1939. His father, Hubert signed the Bankers Guarantee and Hugh is recorded on it as working in Larne branch. Hubert address is recorded as Head Office and 21 Hughenden Avenue, Belfast.

Bankers Guarantee Ledger sheet

Belfast Bank, Larne branch

In November 1939 McManus was transferred to Londonderry branch where he remained until joining the army in September 1940.

Belfast Bank, Londonderry branch

From that date, McManus served, mainly with the Royal Artillery, in England, North Africa, Sicily, Italy and finished up in Austria where he was demobilised in August 1946.

 

Following his return from Active Service on 4th November 1946, McManus was posted to the Foreign Department based in Head Office.

Belfast Bank, Head Office, Waring Street, Belfast (1940s wartime picture)

Belfast Bank photo album

The Ballymena Weekly Telegraph of 5th May 1950 reports the success of H McManus is his 'Institute of Bankers in Ireland' banking examinations.

Later transfers took McManus to Bradbury Place/South End (1953), Head Office, Coleraine (1960), Ballymoney, Shipquay Street, Londonderry (1967) and Altnagelvin (1967).

Belfast Bank, Bradbury Place branch

Belfast Bank, Coleraine branch

Belfast Bank, Ballymoney branch

The Northern Bank staff magazine of Autumn 1974 published an article about him on his promotion to Altnagelvin branch.

[Courtesy - The Link, Autumn 1974 issue]

The Electoral Register for 2005-2010 via Ancestry records a Hugh McManus as living at 276, Coast Road, Ballygally, Co. Antrim.