The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. J H Coxon

John Harry Coxon, of Spondon, Derby, was born on 2nd March 1918, the son of John and Ethel Annie Coxon. His father had been a domestic servant, served in the Machine Gun Corps in the First World War, became a greengrocer and served in the Observer Corps.

JH Coxon joined the RAFVR about May 1939 in the Aircraft Crew Section, as an Airman u/t Aircrew. He was called up on 1st September, completed training as an Air Gunner and joined 141 Squadron at Dyce on 20th August 1940.

He moved to 410 (RCAF) Squadron at Ayr from 141 on 2nd August 1941. In 1942 Coxon was flying with 103 Squadron from Elsham Wolds, Lincolnshire.

He failed to return from a raid on Essen on 6th June 1942 in Wellington DV699, which may have collided with another aircraft over the target. He was then a Flight Sergeant.

He is buried in Reichswald War Cemetery, Germany.

The pilot, F/Lt. WMcD Morison survived as a PoW.

Sgt. WLE Traquair, Sgt. ED Walters and Sgt. REP Grieve were also killed.

Above image courtesy of Online Begraafplaatsen.