Sgt Edward Jack Gill

Edward was originally from Shenfield, but married in Brentwood in September 1941 to Eileen Argue. This marriage must have happened while he was on leave from the RAF, based at RAF Oulton, Norfolk. Only a month later in October he was was killed while being a wireless operator on Blenheim IV when it crashed near Kingerby in Lincolnshire.

The following account describes the tragic incident:

[The plane was] seen circling the church at the tiny hamlet of Kirkby north of Market Rasen, where the pilot had friends. The villagers were waving to the crew as the aircraft circled low, unfortunately the wing tip struck the trees on the eastern side of the church and the pilot lost control. The aircraft went down to crash alongside the Kingerby beck almost level with Kingerby church coming to rest on its back.