The Airmen's Stories -Sub/Lt. (FAA) G B Pudney

Geoffrey Bruce Pudney was born on 14th February 1918 in London, the son of Frederick William and Beatrice Mary Pudney.

In the 1911 census his father was recorded as a commercial traveller (watches). On his son's birth certificate he gave his occupation as watch importer. He died in 1921 at Napsbury Mental Hospital, St Albans, Hertfordshire.

At this time the family home was at Friern Barnet in Hertfordshire. Mrs Pudney appears in the 1939 register as a domestic science teacher living in Reading, Berkshire.

GB Pudney entered the Air Branch of the Royal Navy on 1st July 1939, rated as a Midshipman (A).

He did his elementary flying training at 14 EFTS Elmdon and then went on to No. 1 FTS Leuchars for No. 8 Course, which ran from 15th January to 22nd June 1940.

He arrived at 5 OTU Aston Down on 23rd June. He was officially attached to the RAF on the 29th and after converting to Spitfires he was attached to 64 Squadron at Kenley on 6th July.

12th August 1940 saw him rejoining the FAA with a posting to 806 Squadron.

He was killed on 26th August 1941 when escorting a convoy to Tobruk, operating from HMS Grebe, a shore establishment at the pre-war Alexandria airport. His Hurricane Z4052 was shot down ten miles north of Sidi Barrani.

Pudney is commemorated on the FAA Memorial, Lee-on-Solent.