The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. W T Chard

Wilfred Thomas Chard joined the RAFVR in March 1939 as an Airman u/t Aircrew. Called up on September 1st 1939 he completed his training and had joined 141 Squadron as a Gunner in Defiants at Turnhouse by June 1940.

Flying with Sgt. G Laurence on September 17th 1940 they intercepted a Ju88 north of Ashford and shot it down. The aircraft, B3+OL wk nr 2152 from I/KG54 at Evreux, came down in St Andrews Close, Maidstone. The crew, Lt Ganzlmayr, Obfw Faschinger, Uffz Bauer and Scloesser, were all killed.

Nothing further has been traced of Chard's service but he is buried in Sutton Road Cemetery, Southend, Essex. The headstone is a standard CWGC design implying that he was killed in action or died of wounds. It is dated 17th May 1947, obviously outside of WW2 so there must be an interesting story that is yet to be discovered.