The Airmen's Stories - Sub/Lt.(FAA) D M Jeram

Dennis Mayvore Jeram was born on 4th November 1917, in the area of Brentford, Middlesex. His father was a Bank Clerk who became a Manager with Lloyds Bank. In 1918 he was serving in the Royal Army Service Corps.

Dennis Jeram entered the Air Branch of the Royal Navy for a seven year engagement on 1st May 1939 and was rated as a Midshipman.

Above: Jeram after his 6th November combat .

He did his elementary flying course at 14 EFTS Elmdon and moved on to No. 1 FTS Leuchars for No. 6 Course, which ran from 6th November 1939 to 21st April 1940.

Jeram was loaned to the RAF on 15th June 1940 and was at 7 OTU Hawarden from 17th June to 1st July, where he converted to Hurricanes before joining 213 Squadron at Exeter on 1st July.

He made his first flight with the squadron on the 2nd, aircraft handling. He destroyed a Ju88 and probably another south of Portland Bill on 11th August, he destroyed Me110s on the 12th and 15th, destroyed a Do17 on 15th September and probably a Me110 on the 30th.

After the Battle of Britain Jeram returned to the FAA and in December 1941 he was posted to 888 Squadron. From February 1942 until the end of 1943 the squadron was in the carrier HMS Formidable.

During the operations in North Africa, Jeram shot down a Vichy French Bloch 175 on 6th November 1942. It was searching for an Allied convoy, which had been reported as it passed through the Straits of Gibraltar on its way to North Africa.

Three days later Jeram shared in destroying a Ju88 near Algiers. It had Italian markings and a German crew. He also took part in the invasion of Sicily and the Salerno landings. Jeram retired from the Royal Navy in 1954 as a Lieutenant-Commander.

He died on 24th March 1977 aged 59, the death being registered in Poole, Dorset.

Above image and additional research courtesy Larry Jeram-Croft

https://sites.google.com/site/larryjeramcroft/