Somers, John Vidal
Personal Information
Rank | Sgt |
Forename(s) | John Vidal |
Surname | Somers |
Gender | M |
Age | 20 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 14-04-1945 |
Next of Kin | Son of Vidal Herbert and Madge Winifred Somers, of Blackpool, Lancashire. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster III |
Serial Number | PB483 |
Markings | XY-X |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | United Kingdom |
Burial/Memorial Place | Haverhill Cemetery |
Grave Reference | Sec. U. Grave 202. |
Epitaph | IN PROUD AND LOVING MEMORY TILL WE MEET AGAIN |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 245 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 1589666 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 3 |
Squadron | 186 |
Trade | Air Gunner |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | Outside former Officers Mess, Stradishall, Suffolk |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Brick Memorial with Inscribed Marble Tablets |
Memorial Text | To commemorate 32 years of service by the men and women of R.A.F. Stradishall 1938 - 1970 |
Miscellaneous Information
His alma mater was the highly regarded Latymer Upper School, Hammersmith, London which lost an incredible 26 of their alumni to Bomber Command in WW2. |
Excerpt from "The Fallen Latymerians of The Second World War": John Vidal Somers was born on Christmas Eve in 1924. His father, Mr W. H. Somers, was a Civil Servant and the family lived at 243 Bush Rd, Hounslow. He came to Latymer on September 11th 1934 from Hounslow College, entering Class 1B. That, sadly is all the information about him contained in the admissions register. The Autumn 1945 edition of ‘The Latymerian’ reports that Sergeant John Vidal Somers joined the RAF soon after leaving School, volunteered for aircrew duties and became a rear gunner in a Lancaster heavy bomber. He was killed in action during flying operations on the morning of April 14th 1945. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1145/24 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1145/23 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 13-04-1945 |
End Date | 14-04-1945 |
Takeoff Station | Stradishall |
Day/Night Raid | Night (3% moon) |
Operation | Kiel- to bomb the U-boat yards |
Reason for Loss | On return, collided in the circuit with another 186 Sqn Lancaster (PB488 AP-J) |