The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. O J Dee

Orlando John Dee was born in June 1921 in Witnesham, Suffolk, the son of George John Dee Fortescue (1890-1923) and Winifred Myra Turner (1899-1988).

His father was from New York in the USA and had travelled to Britain to enlist in the RFC under the surname Dee. He served in the RFC/RAF from 1916 to 1920. He was probably non-aircrew as his civilian occupation had been as a typewriter mechanic.

He subsequently became ill, was admitted to a psychiatric hospital in Woodbridge, Suffolk and died there in 1923.

OJ Dee joined the RAF in November 1939 as an Airman u/t WOp/AG and after training joined 235 Squadron on 13th September 1940.

Dee was killed on 28th May 1941, still serving with 235 at Bircham Newton, aged 20. Blenheim IV Z5968 was shot down off Texel by Me109's of 2/JG52 operating from De Vlijt.

P/O JO Fenton and Sgt. RH Johnson were also lost.

Dee's body was washed up and he is buried at Hamburg Cemetery, Ohlsdorf, Germany.

Above image courtesy of PupDawg