The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. O W Porter

Owen Wells Porter was born on 7th January 1920 in Ilford, Essex, the son of Charles Wells Porter and Constance Caroline Porter (nee Blyth).

He joined the RAFVR about March 1939 as an Airman u/t Pilot.

Called up on 1st September 1939, he completed his training at 6 FTS Little Rissington and arrived at 6 OTU Sutton Bridge on 3rd August 1940. After converting to Hurricanes he joined 111 Squadron at Debden on 31st August.

His subsequent service is currently unknown but there is a family photograph of him as a Flight Sergeant 'in Canada in 1942' (below). It can be presumed that he was posted to a flying school there as an instructor. This is reinforced by his CWGC entry stating 'husband of Joan M Porter of Rimbey, Alberta, Canada' again suggesting that the marriage took place while he was stationed there.

Unfortunately this entry led the monument committee to assess his nationality as Canadian and he appears on the monument under Canada. He was actually British of course.

Commissioned in February 1943, Porter was killed on 31st July 1944 as a Flying Officer with 21 Squadron, operating in Mosquitos from Thorney Island.

Mosquito VI NS935 was shot down on a night intruder sortie while attacking a train.

Porter, aged 23, and his navigator F/O JA Garrett were both killed and are buried in Morgny-la-Pommeraye churchyard, NE of Rouen, France.

Additional research and all photographs courtesy of the Porter family via Robert Bliss.