Sgt. Francis Reginald Law
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 50 Squadron
from:Rock, Worcestershire
(d.22nd February 1942)
Frank Law, volunteered for aircrew and was enlisted on the 10th July 1940. He finished his training at 14 OTU RAF Cottesmore and was posted to RAF Swinderby, home to 50 Squadron on the 13th October 1941. The squadron moved to Skellingthorpe, just a few miles down the road in late 41.
He flew his first Op on the 20th October 1941 and settled in to form a regular partnership with Pilot Sgt Ivor Mapp. At this time 50 Squadron were equipped with Hampdens, which had a 4 man crew, Pilot, Observer/Navigator, W/OP/Air Gunner and Rear Gunner. The other two crew members varied but Francis always flew with Ivor Mapp. He flew his first 5 or 6 ops as Rear Gunner, then with some experience under his belt he moved to the Wireless Operator/Air Gunner seat.
He flew some daylight errands, ferrying aircraft for modification, all his 'hostile operations were night flights, except one, on the 12th of February 1942 the German battleships slipped out of a French port and many aircraft were sent out to try and intercept them in the channel. Francis and his crew failed to locate the ships and returned home.
On the 21st February 1942 he took off on Ops to Coblenz, a series of minor mishaps added up and lost and out of fuel the plane crashed near York. Francis Law 14 Ops, Hector Thompson 1st Op and Philip Ballard 12 Ops were killed, Francis and Hector are buried in Thurlby Lincs, Philip is buried in Chartham Kent.
