P/O Edgar Vernon Dunk

Edgar was born in Ilford and named after his father, who worked as a cashier. In 1939 he was living with his parents and brother in Brimpton, Berkshire, but before 1942 his family had moved to Brentwood.

He was a pilot officer in the Royal Air Force, and was killed in an accident in 1944 when his Liberator VI crashed into the jungle. He is buried in Colombo Liveramentu Cemetery, Sri Lanka, and also has a memorial inscription on his mother's tombstone in Woodman Road Cemetery.

The crash report gives some details of what happened:

Skipper: 938440 W/O Robert Douglas Stow. 2350 takeoff. After a takeoff considered normal, the aircraft reached a height of perhaps 1000 feet. In commencing a circuit to the right, back toward a track parallel to the runway, the Liberator stalled. Eyewitnesses saw the sudden appearance of flame coming from the aircraft, followed immediately by the scream of engine and the subsequent crash and explosions of petrol and depth charges. The Lib hit the jungle in a shallow dive with the starboard wing down about 30 degrees. All 8 aboard were killed instantly. The remains were recovered the following day, along with two unexploded depth charges. After studying the wreckage, S/Ldr J.N. Stacy, 160 Sqn Officer Commanding "B" Flight, told the Court of Inquiry, "As far as we would [sic] see there was nothing to suggest fire in the air either internally or externally. As far as external appearances went there was nothing to suggest any mechanical failure." It was assumed by the Court that the statements by witnesses of fire in the air could be explained by the peculiar egg-shaped balls of fire which were produced from the turbo-superchargers of Liberators when the engine throttles were fully opened (the pilot's response to a stalling aircraft). Court of Inquiry's finding: a stall of the aircraft due to W/O Stow's inexperience in night flying. The Gyro Horizon on the Liberator instrument panel, known to give misleading readings in slow turns, may have contributed to the pilot's difficulties. The crew remains were buried in Colombo (Liveramentu) Cemetery, Sri Lanka.