Trafford

Born during the September quarter 1923 in the Burton R.D. - ref: 6b/628,
the son of John Thomas & Doris Annie Blockley (nee Harrison).

1939 National Registration - No Trace - probably already serving, as
servicemen were not included in this census.

Married Hylda Dorothea Joan Elizabeth Childs during the December quarter
1943 in the Ashby de la Zouch R.D. - ref: 7a/262.

115 Squadron R.A.F. was a Flying Training Squadron, part of No.6 Flying
Training School, based at RAF Wittering.  It relocated from RAF Little
Snoring to RAF Witchford in November 1943.   

They took off at 17.15 hrs from RAF Witchford, Cambridgeshire in a
Lancaster bomber Mk I, number PD344 - KO-M.  They were  part of a bombing
raid on Saarbrucken.  They were involved in a mid-air collision with
another Lancaster from 75 Squadron, another of the three Lancasters lost on
this raid.    Both aircraft crashed at Wolsfeld, 8 Km SSW of Bitburg on the
main road leading to Echternach.  Both crews were killed (14 men) and their
remains were taken to the War Cemetery at Rheinberg.

The other crew members of PD344 were:-   F/S. K.M. Henderson (Pilot) - Sgt.
A. Horridge - F/S. R.W. Cuthbert (RNZAF) - F/S. F.F.B. Scougall (RAAF) -
Sgt. A.W. Blake - Sgt. C.R. Coe.

CWGC - Son of John Thomas Blockley and Doris Annie Blockley; husband of
Hylda Dorothea Joan Elizabeth Blockley of Timperley, Altrincham, Cheshire.

Commemorated on St. Peter's War Churchyard Memorial at Hartshorne, South
Derbyshire.  Also commemorated on his parent's headstone in the same
Churchyard.

115 Squadron suffered the highest losses of any squadron within Bomber
Command; they were the only squadron to lose more than 200 aircraft in
WW2.

His widow married Jsck Sowter during the December quarter 1945 in the
Wallingford R.D. - ref: 2c/1045.