Albert Adderley

Albert Adderley was born at Wellington, Shropshire, on 10 June 1920 and became an RAF air gunner. He flew a tour with No. 115 Squadron from RAF Marham in Wellington bombers, and his Distinguished Flying Medal followed a sharp action during a raid on Brest harbour on 24 July 1941. A memorial biography records that, as rear gunner, he held his fire under attack from a Messerschmitt 109 and then drove the fighter into the sea; his station commander praised his keenness, courage and effect on the morale of other gunners.

Early in 1942 Adderley moved to No. 1483 Target Towing and Gunnery Flight. On 24 May 1942 Wellington T2802 left RAF Newmarket for a fighter affiliation exercise, landed at Duxford for briefing, and then suffered structural failure during a steep evasive turn. The aircraft crashed near Stanton, Suffolk, with no survivors. Adderley was 21 and was buried in his home town, Wellington.