The Airmen's Stories -F/Lt. J Jefferies

Jerrard Jefferies joined the RAF on a short service commission in October 1936. He was posted to 3 FTS, Grantham on 11th January 1937 and joined 17 Squadron at Kenley on 7th August. He was with 85 Squadron in France in early 1940 and on 11th May he destroyed a Hs126. On 9th July Jefferies was posted to 310 Squadron, then forming with Czech pilots at Duxford, as a Flight Commander.

On 31st August and 3rd September he claimed Me110's destroyed, on the 7th he damaged another, on the 15th he destroyed a He111 and shared three Do17's and on the 18th he destroyed a Do17.

Jefferies was awarded the DFC (gazetted 1st October 1940) and the Czech Military Cross (gazetted 24th December 1940).

In January 1941 he took command of the squadron. On 1st March Jefferies changed his name to Latimer by deed poll, for reasons unknown.

On the 27th he damaged a Ju88 and during the night of April 8/9th he probably destroyed a Ju88.

Latimer left 310 in June 1941 and on 7th July went to Tangmere to form and command 1455 Flight, a Turbinlite Havoc unit. He led the Flight until January 1942.

He was killed on 15th April 1943, as a Squadron Leader with 106 Squadron, flying in a Lancaster from Syerston.

His Lancaster ED752 ZN*H was returning from a raid on Stuttgart when it came down, cause unknown, at Sauvillers-Mongival, SE of Amiens in France.

Due to a shortage of trained navigators naval personnel were attached in this role and this aircraft carried RNVR Lt. G Muttrie, attached from HMS Daedalus.

The other crew members were:

Sgt GW Hancock KIA

Lt(A) G.Muttrie RNVR KIA

Sgt H Buxton KIA

Sgt WT McLean KIA

Sgt H Jones PoW

F/Lt. LCJ Brodrick PoW

P/O JA Burns RCAF PoW

F/Lt. LCJ Brodrick was the 52nd escapee in the 'Great Escape' from Sagan, he was recaptured and survived the war.

Latimer is buried in Sauvillers-Mongival Communal Cemetery along with the other crew members who were lost.