Trafford

Born during the September quarter 1918 in the Chorlton R.D. - ref: 8c/987,
the only son of 2nd Lt. Horace & Gertrude Hudson (nee Howard).

He and two others crew members, flying with 12 Sqn, took off from
Echemines, France, in a Fairey Battle Mk 1 - No. P2269 PH on an unknown
mission.   The a/c was lost in circumstances that have not been
established.   A number of theories listed below.

12 Sqn were detailed to Echemines, France on the 16th May 1940.  Initially,
with the Advanced Air Striking Force, later with Bomber Command, flying
Wellington's.

According to "Bomber Command Losses - 2nd WW", the pilot was a Pilot
Officer C.S. McIntyre, who is shown as also being lost.     However, I am
unable to trace him on the CWGC web-site.    The third crew member - AC1
Dennis Leonard Leonard has no known grave and is therefore commemorated on
the Runnymede Memorial.

From "Wight Air Wrecks, A T Gilliam, Tempus Publishing Ltd, 2002" - Just
after midnight on the 2/3 June 1940, intense Anti-Aircraft fire was heard,
and local search lights were in action although there had been no air raid
siren. Shortly afterwards reports were coming in of an aircraft down at
Appley near Ryde. Initial excitement at the 'downing' of the Island's first
enemy raider soon paled when it was realised that the aircraft was in fact
one of ours. The aircraft, a Fairey Battle light bomber, serial no. P2269
from No 12 Operational Training Unit (OTU) based at Andover in Hampshire,
crashed onto what is now a playing field at the junction of Puckpool Hill
and Appley Road. Two of the crew members, Sgt G H Hudson and Aircraftsman
first class D L Leonard, had been killed; the pilot P/O A G Mcintyre, who
had parachuted from the aircraft, was injured.
 
Additional Information from Brian Sedgeley who has researched the military
graves at Bembridge.   The a/c took off from RAF Benson for a night
navigation exercise and got lost.   They inadvertantly flew into the
Portsmouth Anti-aircraft defence area at 00.56 hrs and were shot down,
crashing at Ryde, Isle of Wight.    P.O C.S. McIntyre survived the war.

M.I. - "To the dear memory of George Howard Hudson, Sergeant R.A.F. who
paid the supreme sacrifice June 3rd 1940 in his 22nd year.   Dearly loved
only son of Gertrude Maden and the late 2nd Lt. H.S. Hudson (of
Manchester)".

Sgt Hudson is commemorated on the private family (grand-parent's - Pearson
family) gravestone in Urmston Cemetery.

His father was a 2nd Lt. in the Machine Gun Corps during WW1 and died on
the 17th November 1918.   The son of Alfred Henry and Emily Hudson, of
Lymm, Cheshire; husband of Gertrude Hudson, of 74 Manchester Rd.,
Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester.   He is buried at Solesmes British War
Cemetery, situated to the east of Cambrai.

His widowed mother married a John T. Maden during the September quarter
1926 in the Manchester South R.D. - ref: 8d/56.