The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. F G Horner

Frank George Horner was born on 12th November 1919 and joined the RAFVR about July 1939 as an Airman u/t Pilot. He was a civil servant at the time.

Called up on 1st September 1939, he arrived at 7 OTU Hawarden on 2nd September 1940. After converting to Spitfires, he joined 610 Squadron at Acklington on 16th September 1940.

On 26th February 1941 he got a probable Me109 and probably another on 13th March.

Commissioned on 12th June 1941, Horner destroyed Me109s on 22nd and 25th June.

He was shot down over France on 8th July 1941 in Spitfire IIb P8504 while taking part in Circus 40. He was held in Stalag Luft III at Sagan and Belaria.

Sgt. RW Richardson, P/O DMcI Gray, Sgt. NP Warden, P/O CR Fenwick, P/O WA Douglas, P/O AR Ross.

Sgt. VD Page, P/O NG Drever, Sgt. W Raine, Sgt. FG Horner, Sgt. RF Hamlyn, F/Lt. J Ellis, F/Lt. SC Norris, Sgt. JEW Ballard, Sgt. HD Denchfield, Sgt. P Ward-Smith.

Above: his post-liberation debriefing.

He married Doreen Claire Enticknap on 24th August 1945 at St. Peters, Old Woking.

Horner was released from the RAF in 1947 as a Flight Lieutenant.

He died on 16th September 1987.