Cemeteries and graveyards, full of love, betrayal, tragic deaths, murder, and suicide. What will you find?

Wednesday 8 May 2013

War Grave Wednesday - ATA First Officer Alan Blair Dorrell



Monument to First Officer Alan Blair Dorrell, All Saints Maidenhead Cemetery, Maidenhead Berkshire.

"Jesus said. "Greater love hath no man than this.  That a man lay down his life for his friends."


Alan Blair Dorrell was born on 8th May 1910 in St John, Worcestershire to John Dorrell, a clothing manufacturer, and his with Eveline Francis Hinks.

Alan appears on the 1911 Census aged just 11 months old, living with his parents and elder brother Geoffrey James and younger sister Nora Helen Dorrell, aged just one month, in Mavlern Road, St John, Worcestershire.

Alan obtained his Aviators' Certificate on 24th May 1939 at Worcestershire Flying Club.

First Officer Alan Blair Dorrell died when he crashed the Spitfire VIII he was flying at Byron Hall Farm, Stag Lane, Lowton nr Warrington, in bad weather on 1st December 1943 aged just 33 years.

Alan's name also appears on the Malvern War Memorial, in Malvern Worcestershire.


2 comments:

  1. Did he live round the area seems odd if he came from the midlands and was killed up north.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It does, but I think it's more of a case of where there was space. I know that Maidenhead Cemetery was the main receiving cemetery for ATA casualties.

      Delete

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