Operation: Ferry flight

Date: 4th September 1940 (Wednesday)

Unit: No. 151 Squadron (motto: Foy pour devoir - 'Fidelity unto duty')

Type: Hurricane I

Serial: V7406

Code: DG-?

Base: RAF Digby, Lincolnshire

Location: At airfield RAF Stapleford, Epping, Essex

Pilot: P/O. Richard Ambrose 73040 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

The squadron had transferred to RAF Digby a few days beforehand, but were using RAF Stapleford for daytime patrols. P/O. Ambrose was detailed to ferry Hurricane V7406 to Digby.

Tragically during take off he collided with cranes parked very close. The Hurricane caught fire P/O. Ambrose lost his life.

P/O. Richard Ambrose. Epping Cemetery. Sec Z. Grave 3. Son of Ivor A. Ambrose and Laura K. Ambrose, (nee Chapman) of Esher, Surrey, England. Born in Swansea in 1919, educated at Ellesmere School. Went on to Imperial College, where he read Engineering at the School of Mines. Relatives are understood to have settled in Australia. His grave inscription reads: 'They shall not grow old as we that are left grow old. Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn'.

Researched for relatives of the pilot. With thanks to the following for further information supplied, Mick Kelsey at the '151 Squadron' website, Winston G. Ramsey - 'Battle of Britain Then and Now', Richard Goring for his Essex Data Base of War dead, The Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
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