The Airmen's Stories - P/O S B Parnall

Stuart Boyd Parnall, the son of a milling engineer, was born on 4th July 1910, the son of John Babington Parnall and Ethel Mary Aletheia Parnall.

He was baptised on 18th August that year at St Brelade's Church, Jersey, by his maternal grandfather, the Rev. RR Cousens.

Parnall joined 607 Squadron Auxiliary Air Force in early 1939. Called to full-time service on 24th August 1939 he went from 607 Squadron to 7 FTS Peterborough for No. 12 Course, which ran from 9th October 1939 to 6th March 1940.

He arrived at 5 OTU Aston Down on 24th March 1940.

After converting to Hurricanes, Parnall joined 263 Squadron at Filton on 21st April. He embarked on the carrier HMS Glorious on 11th May for the squadron’s second expedition to Norway.

On the 26th Parnall destroyed a He111 near Bardufoss. On 7th June 263 flew its Gladiators on to HMS Glorious, which was sunk en route the next day by the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau.

Parnall must have returned in one of the evacuation ships. He rejoined 607 Squadron at Usworth on 24th June.

He probably destroyed a Me110 on 15th August.

On 9th September 1940 Parnall was shot down and killed over Mayfield in combat with Do17s and Me109s. His Hurricane, P3574, crashed at Lime Trees Farm, Goudhurst.

He was 30 years old and was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium, Hendon.

Parnall’s brother, Squadron Leader James Boyd Parnall (who had also served in the AAF before the war), was killed, as CO of 504 Squadron, on 14th May 1940, aged 34. At about 5.40pm his Hurricane crashed at the village of Chaussee-Notre-Dame Louvignies, north of Soignies, Belgium, after combat with Me109s. This may be the aircraft claimed by Leutnant Blume of 7/JG26.

JB Parnall is buried in Chaussee-Notre-Dame-Louvignies Communal Cemetery. He is the only Allied casualty shown in CWGC records as resting in the cemetery.

The CWGC gives the date of death as 15th May.