The Airmen's Stories - F/O H McD Goodwin

Henry MacDonald Goodwin was born on 23rd December 1914 in Hagley, Worcestershire, the son of Laughton Goodwin (1884-1951) and Jessie Goodwin (nee Palethorpe 1885-1953).

He attended Shrewsbury School and after leaving he was employed on the Birmingham stock exchange.

His father owned a motor business and Goodwin learned to fly in the family biplane from an airstrip behind the family home.

Goodwin was commissioned on 1st April 1933 in 605 Squadron Auxiliary Air Force. He relinquished this when he was commissioned in the RAFO on 8th June 1935.

Called to full-time service on 24th August 1939, he completed his training and was then posted to No. 1 Flying Practice Unit at Meir on 14th March 1940.

From there Goodwin joined 609 Squadron at Northolt on 21st May 1940. He claimed a Me110 destroyed and another damaged on 12th August and two Ju87s destroyed over Lyme Bay on the 13th.

He failed to return from a combat on the 14th in Spitfire N3024. Ten days later Goodwin's body was washed up on the Isle of Wight.

He was 25 and is buried in St. Cassians churchyard, Chaddesley Corbett, Worcestershire.

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His brother, P/O Barry L Goodwin, was killed on 24th June 1940 while serving as a pilot with 605 Squadron. While practising dusk landings his Hurricane I L2115 dived into the ground near Dunbar after losing a gun panel.

He was 23 and he is also buried at Chaddesley Corbett.

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