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Flt.Sgt. Harry Edward Demmar Tilby
Royal Air Force 418 Squadron
from:Downham, Bromley, Kent
(d.3rd April 1942)
Harry Tilby was my uncle and was originally posted, as an Observer, to 23 Squadron RAF based at Ford Aerodrome, West Sussex, England.
In December 1941 he, his pilot Flt. Lt. 'Jack' Love and his air gunner F/Sgt Malcolm Bunting, along with a couple of other crews from 23 Squadron, were transferred to 418 Squadron RCAF at Debden, Essex to train this new Squadron in the art of 'Intruder' missions which 23 had become expert in. Over the next few weeks the severe winter weather prevented much air activity (there were some fatal accidents during that period), which slowed the introduction of these new aircrews into combat. However, early in 1942, several successful missions were carried out over strategic targets in Holland, Belgium and France, together with intruder sorties over Luftwaffe air bases in the same region.
On the night of 2/3rd April 1942 Harry's crew were tasked with intruding around the Poix and Beauvais areas looking for Luftwaffe aircraft returning to, or leaving, their bases. Unfortunately, they failed to return and are now buried side by side at Montdidier, France.
