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Answers to
Readers' Questions
CAN YOU HELP FURTHER?
If you know any more, please do
contact us
J
"Sam" Sawyer Sam was
a Battle of Britain pilot who sadly lost his life in a tragic
accident on 2nd August 1940. On 24th
July he claimed a Me109, and is given
credit by some sources as having downed Oberleutnant
Werner Bartels of Jagdgeschwader 26 who crash-landed at
Northdown near
Margate and was taken prisoner.
A reader from Kent contacted us.His grandmother had a clock,
probably from Oberleutnant Werner Bartels'
plane. For many years it stood on the mantelpiece at
home, and still remains with the family. Mark
would love to speak to anyone from Sam Sawyer's family,
or from Werner Bartels' family. Please do
contact us
if you can help.
Update
21 November 2007 We are
absolutely delighted to have heard from Sam's
granddaughter and son..
Four Generations - Herbert Dawes and
Family
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This is four generations of the Dawes family. They
are, we believe, Herbert, who is holding his son,
Herbert's father, Alfred, and his father, William.
Does anyone recognise them, or this picture? A
descendant of this family would like to make contact
with any relatives. They may be living in Kent. Please
let us know.
Update:
30th October 2008. We're delighted to have heard
from a relative of Herbert Dawes, who told us that the
photo was taken in his back garden, and the baby's name
was Donald. Two distant cousins are now corresponding,
having been newly-reunited. |
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Update:
7th December 2008. With great pleasure we have
now heard from heard from another relative of the
family, and have put the members in touch. Thank you so
very much for contacting us, and we're so glad to be
able to help |
Missing Memorial
This is Mundella School, in the Black Bull
Road, Folkestone. It was the school Walter Tull attended when he
was a young child.
In 1921 a Memorial plaque, of polished
walnut, was unveiled to the boys from the school who had served
and fallen. Walter Tull's name was amongst the 91 casualties. We
think all 533 names of the boys who had served and returned may
also have been inscribed.
The Memorial is missing, and an appeal has
failed to track it down. Perhaps it was destroyed when the
school was damaged in the second World War. If you know where it
is, or what happened to it, please
let us know.
Update -
17th October 2008. Annie and Peter Bamford, of the Folkestone
and District Local History Society, emailed, querying whether a
photo they had in their possession could possibly be of the
missing memorial. We had an account of the unveiling of the
memorial; when they checked the list of names against the
photograph it proved that it was indeed a photo of the memorial.
This is the most wonderful news, and we thank them very much
indeed! An image of the memorial, with a transcription of the
names, is now online
here.
National
Westminster Bank, Market Square
 Just inside the bank door, on the right, is a
memorial to the staff of the bank who served in the Great War
(see
here). As yet, the photograph above the plaque is
unidentified. Part of the photo is shown (left)
We have heard several suggestions of who he
might be (possibly R. W. Brett is one), but does anyone know for
certain? Please
tell us if you
do!
Update -
6 March 2010. We are so happy to have met the cousin of the
young man featured in this photograph. He is indeed Raymond
Brett, who so sadly died in a plane crash over Lanklaar, Belgium
on 22 June 1944. He was just 20.
Air Gunner Brett's cousin has very kindly
shown us more photographs, and other items belonging to this
exuberantly talented young man.
We are so pleased another of our Dovorian
casualties has "come home". Rest in Peace, Raymond, as may all
the crew who died and are buried with you.
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