Alan Ford was born on 10th December 1917 and was baptised at St.Catherine's church, Bearwood on 3rd February 1918.
In 1939 Alan was living with his parents at Forest Lodge in Forest Road.
He was already serving in the Royal Air Force at this time.
Alan was a Pilot Officer in 82 Squadron, part of 2 Group RAF, and was based at
RAF Bodney
in Norfolk.
He took off at 14:20 on 2nd April 1941 in
Blenheim IV
No.Z5818 code named UX-P, probably acting as Observer in the crew of three.
They were on an anti-shipping strike by 19 Blenheims of various squadrons off Dutch coast, patrolling Beats E and A.
Six aircraft were detailed to attack shipping on
Beats E and A. Aircraft X and Y attacked a 80 T
fishong board, a near miss being observed. Aircraft
C & L attached 2 - 600 ton Tramp steamers accompanied
by Flakship to starboard between them moving W. The
rear was attacked and near misses observed on prt
bow. Considerable flak was experienced from flakship.
Aircraft J attacked 2 flakships of approx. 5000 T,
the first being bombed and the second machine-gunned.
Bombs were seen to fall on stern and ship went down
at stern. Considerable flak was encountered, the
Observer being killed and Pilot wounded. Aircraft
P is missing.
The aircraft was lost without trace and fellow crew members Sgt. W.C.Haynes, believed to be the pilot, and Sgt A.Lee were also killed.
They are all commemorated on the
Runnymede Memorial.
They shall not grow old,
as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them,
nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun,
and in morning
We will remember them.
