The Airmen's Stories - P/O G H Maffett

Gerard Hamilton Maffett was born in Murree, India on 11th June 1916 and was educated at the Imperial Service College, Windsor. He left in 1934 and went to work for the Daily Mail in London. On 30th April 1938 Maffett joined the RAFVR as an Airman u/t Pilot and did his weekend flying on Tiger Moths at 13 E&RFTS, White Waltham.

Called up on 1st September 1939, he was posted to No.1 ITW, Cambridge in early November. Maffett went to 12 FTS, Grantham on 30th December, completed the course in early June, was commissioned and then sent to No. 2 School of Army Co--Operation at Andover on the 15th. He went to 5 OTU, Aston Down on 22nd June and after converting to Hurricanes joined 257 Squadron at Northolt on 7th July 1940.

Maffett made his first operational sortie on the 19th. On 18th August he was credited with a Do17 destroyed and a He111 damaged. He was shot down and killed in combat with Me110's over Clacton on 31st August. His Hurricane, P3175, crashed at Walton-on-the-Naze.

Maffett is buried in Windsor Road Cemetery, Bray, Berkshire.

In the 1970's the wreck of his Hurricane was recovered with great difficulty from marshland north of the town and after restoration was installed in the Battle of Britain Hall at the RAF Museum Hendon in time for its opening in 1978.

The whole story of the events of 31st August and the subsequent recovery of the aircraft has been covered in a book " One Hurricane, One Raid" by Geoff Rayner ISBN 1-85310-199-0.