The Airmen's Stories - P/O J A P Studd

John Alnod Peter Studd of Paignton, Devon was born in the second quarter of 1918 in Kensington, the son of Vivian Mortlock Studd (1891-1951) and Mabel Luz Olivette Studd (nee Hughes 1890-1973).

His parents had married in early August 1914 and planned to sail the following month for Buenos Aires, where Vivian Studd would join the ship Endurance, he had been appointed as geologist to Ernest Shackleton's 1914 Antarctic Expedition.

However Studd relinquished his post and obtained a commission in the Rifle Brigade, going on to serve in West Africa.

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JAP Studd attended Charterhouse School from 1931 to 1935 before joining the RAF on a short service commission in October 1938.

After completing his training he was posted as pilot and PA to the AOC 12 Group, Air Vice-Marshal Trafford Leigh-Mallory.

Studd arrived at 5 OTU Aston Down in mid-March 1940 and after converting to Spitfires was posted to 66 Squadron at Duxford on 6th April.

He shared in shooting a He111 down into the sea off Lowestoft on 29th July.

On 19th August Studd was shot down by return fire from a He111 and baled out into the sea. He was picked up by the Aldeburgh lifeboat but failed to regain consciousness. His Spitfire, N3182, crashed into the sea three miles south of Orfordness.

The lifeboat's report read:

During the evening a British pilot was seen to bale out from his aeroplane some three miles south of Orfordness. A NW breeze was blowing, with a heavy swell. The No. 2 motor lifeboat Lucy Lavers was launched at 7.10 PM. She picked up the pilot, unconscious. Life-boatmen and a coastguard, who was aboard as an armed guard, used artificial respiration, but were unable to revive him. The life-boat returned at 9 PM. Dr. Nora Acheson, the only doctor in the town, also put off in a motor boat to the pilot’s help.

Above image courtesy of the RNLI.

The 'Lucy Lavers' had taken part in the Dunkirk evacuation and is still in service giving pleasure trips at Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk.

Above: Studd with his sister on her wedding day. The date is not known but his service seems to have already aged him.

Studd was 22. He is buried in Holy Trinity churchyard, Touchen End, Berkshire.

Above images courtesy of Steve Holmes via Andy Pomfrett.

Above: there is a memorial to Studd at the lifeboat station.

Grave images courtesy of Wertypop.