Battle of Britain Monument Home THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN LONDON MONUMENT Battle of Britain London Monument
The Battle of Britain London Monument "Never in the field of human
conflict was so much owed
by so many to so few
."
Site of Battleof Britain London Monument Work in Progress London Monument Site Drawing of Battle of Britain London Monument
Battle of Britain London Monument Home    
   

The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. E Tyrer

 

Edward Tyrer was born in 1915 at Toxteth Park, Liverpool and joined the RAF on 27th April 1932 as an Apprentice Clerk at RAF Records, Ruislip, passing out on 24th April 1934.

He later applied for pilot training and was selected. With training completed, Tyrer appears to have been a staff pilot at No. 1 AAS, Manby. He joined 610 Squadron at Wittering from Manby on 1st November 1939.

 

 

Above: Tyrer centre holding book.

 

Tyrer arrived at 12 Group Pool, Aston Down on 10th November and after converting to Hurricanes he was posted to 611 Squadron at Rochford on 16th December 1939.

 

 

Above images courtesy of the Tyrer family.

 

He was posted from 611 to 27 MU Shawbury on 26th April 1940 but he was with 46 Squadron by early May and went with the squadron to Norway later in the month. On 2nd June Tyrer shared in damaging a Ju87 near Skaanland. He was evacuated by sea by the Royal Navy on 8th June and rejoined 46 Squadron when it was reformed at Digby on 15th June.

Tyrer damaged a Do17 and a Me109 on 7th September, destroyed a Do17 on the 15th and probably destroyed a Ju88 and a Me110 and damaged a Me109 on the 27th. He held the rank of Flight Sergeant at this period of the Battle of Britain.

Commissioned in November 1941, he was released from the RAF in 1945 with the rank of Flight Lieutenant.

On 1st April 1946 Tyrer was killed piloting Dragon Rapide G-AERZ (below), operated by Railway Air Services Ltd., which crashed in fog on Royal Belfast Golf Course, Craigavad, County Down.

Also killed were Mr. R O'Connor (Wireless Operator, from Liverpool), Dr. HE Marsden (from Ormskirk), Mr. B Samuels (Dublin) and Mr.H Corran (Belfast). Mr. S Assinder (Belfast) was thrown clear but died later in hospital.

 

 


Battle of Britain Monument