149854 Flying Officer RAF

Martin Joseph French 

 flag england b.  Oct 1916, Epsom, Surrey 210 Sqn, Coastal Command

 

     

 

Father:  Charles O. French, "former registrar of the Probate Court at Lancaster and at present holding a similar position at Bristol", Mother Mary C [Nicholl] (m. 1915)

He was articled as a solicitor to Messrs. Sanderson and Royle, Church Street, Lancaster.

Joined the R A F. in 1939 

 

 m. Jul 1942 in Bath, Somerset, Margaret Jane Carter [Harrisson]

 Address in 1943: Park Mansions, Bath


 


d. 22 Mar 1943 in Catalina Ib FP154 whch crashed in the sea off Sagres, Portugal

The aircraft took off from Gibraltar at 08:12 on anti-submarine patrol SV8. At 14:45, base recalled the aircraft to base by 19:15 and received R for this signal at 15:23. The Catalina had to take avoiding action to miss high ground and houses near the town of Sagres in misty conditions. The aircraft stalled and crashed into the sea very close to the town. Of the ten man crew, all died but only two bodies were recovered.

 

Commemorated on the Malta Memorial, Valetta

  ATA Organisation

 

map ata ferry pools

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  • EFTS / IFTS - Elementary / Initial Flying Training School
  • AMF / Air Movements Flight (1942–45)
  • AFTS - Advanced Flying Training School (1942–45)

 

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