Freeman, John Anthony

Age: Not known
Date of birth: Not Known

Parents: Not known
Wife: Not known
Address: Not known

Occupation:

We have had difficulty ascertaining John’s identity with any certainty.

We found a John A Freeman who was living in Warwick and married to Lucy Bluck in 1920 – these may be John’s parents. This family were living in Kenilworth on 1939 census. There was one daughter also called Lucy born in 1922, who, according to a family tree on Ancestry.com, was an only child.

We have also found a John Freeman living with his family – father Herbert, mother Martha and brother Philip – in Sherbourne in 1939. His DOB is given as 14th February 1925 – this may be John as the RAF did have a few airmen aged 16 and 17 so it’s possible that he could have been promoted to sergeant by 1944.

We would welcome any further information from members of the public to try to establish John’s identity.

 

Military Service

Rank & Number: Sergeant (Flight Engineer), 1483956
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Brigade/Division: 207 Squadron
Date of death: 22nd May 1944
Cause of death/Battle: Killed in action - his aircraft came down in the sea killing five of the seven crew
Commemorated/Buried: Buried in Esbjerg (Fourfelt) Cemetery, Denmark. A. 12. 17.
Awards:
Commemorated locally at: St Paul's Church

John was enlisted at Padgate Airfield, Warrington after April 1941.

RAF command website gave this information on the circumstances of John’s death but no personal details:

“Took off 2210 21 May 1944 from Spilsby for mining operations in Danish waters. Picked up by a night-fighter whose cannon fire caused a violent explosion; ejecting both survivors both of whom were badly wounded.” 5 of the 7 crew, including John, were killed

Contributors

  • Unlocking Warwick Research Group
  • RAF Commands website
  • Cemetery photograph courtesy of Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC)

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