Stanley Dudley Pierce Connors

Stanley Dudley Pierce Connors was born on 8 April 1912 in India, the son of Pierce and Norah Connors, and was schooled at Darjeeling before returning to England. He entered the Auxiliary Air Force and took a short service commission in 1937, joining No. 111 Squadron in June 1938 to fly the Hawker Hurricane. With the squadron attached to the Advanced Air Striking Force over France and the Low Countries in May 1940, he fought through fierce odds, and on two consecutive days destroyed three Heinkel 111s, two Junkers 88s and a Messerschmitt 109, an effort that brought him the Distinguished Flying Cross. A bar to the decoration followed, his tally standing at around twelve enemy aircraft. On 18 August 1940, the so-called Hardest Day, he attacked Dornier Do 17 bombers near RAF Kenley but his Hurricane (R4187) was struck by the airfield’s anti-aircraft fire. He pressed home his attack as the aircraft burned, then crashed at Wallington, Surrey, and was killed. He is buried at North Berwick.