The Airmen's Stories - P/O A C Hamilton

Arthur Charles Hamilton, of North Harrow, Middlesex, was born on 23rd July 1911, the son of George Albert Hamilton and Alice Nellie Mary Hamilton (nee Dracott).

AC Hamilton was employed as a Stockbrokers Clerk.

He joined the RAF in March 1940 and was commissioned as a direct-entry Air Gunner.

With his training completed, he joined 141 Squadron at Turnhouse in May. The squadron moved south to West Malling on 12th July 1940.

He was in one of nine Defiants which were attacked off Dover by Me109s of III/JG51 on 19th July, their Defiant, L7009, crashed at Elmsvale Road, Dover.

Hamilton's pilot, F/O IDG Donald, was killed in the aircraft, as was Hamilton but due to the intense fire this was not realised for some time, it was thought that he had baled out and drowned in the sea.

Hamilton was 28 and is buried in Folkestone New Cemetery, Kent.

He is also commemorated at Churchill School, Causeway, Zimbabwe. The school was founded in 1950 and is divided into houses for which compete with each other at games. It was decided to name the houses after pilots who died in the Battle of Britain.

The names chosen were Akroyd, Beaumont, Cardell, Hamilton, Maxwell and Wakeham.