The Airmen's Stories - AC J H Folliard

James Henry Folliard was born on 11th January 1911 in Fulham, London, the location of the family home. His father, born in County Roscommon, Ireland, was a bricklayer.

He was awarded Aero Certificate 15612 at Herts & Essex Aero Club, Broxbourne Aerodrome, on 19th December 1937.

His profession was recorded as 'Commercial Artist'. However, he joined 604 Squadron, Auxiliary Air Force at some point before the war, as an Aircrafthand and was mobilised on 24th August 1939.

He was flying non-operationally with 604 by 5th June 1940. He probably trained as a radar operator with the squadron and flew one operational sortie during the Battle of Britain on 15th August.

His subsequent service is currently undocumented until he was commissioned in July 1943 as a Flight Engineer, going on to be released from the RAF in 1945 as a Flight Lieutenant.

Folliard died in October 1983 in Harlow, Essex and was buried, on 13th October, at All Saints, Nazeing, Essex. Folliard had two sisters and two brothers. One sister, Rosina, is shown in the 1939 register as a shorthand typist and also undertaking ARP first aid duties. The other sister, Louisa, was also a shorthand typist and appears to have been a part time member of the WAAF.