James Hardy Marks
Wing Commander · 39670 · United Kingdom
- Died
- 19 September 1942, aged 24
- Fate
- Killed in action
Biography
Wing Commander James Hardy ‘Jimmy’ Marks DSO and Bar, DFC was born in 1918 at Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, and joined the RAF in 1937. A gifted and determined bomber pilot, he rose to command No. 35 Squadron in March 1942 and led it into the newly formed Pathfinder Force — the élite group that flew ahead of the main force to find and mark the targets. Still only twenty-four, he was among the most respected squadron commanders in Bomber Command when he was killed on the night of 19 September 1942, his Halifax shot down over Germany.
Burial / commemoration
- Cemetery
- Choloy War Cemetery, France
Operations on this date. 2 raids in this archive were flown on the night of 19 September 1942: Munich · Saarbrücken. (Cross-reference by date — not in itself confirmation this airman flew it.)
Timeline
-
9 July 1940
Gazetted: DFM
Distinguished Flying Medal -
23 September 1941
Gazetted: DSO
Distinguished Service Order -
19 September 1942
Died
aged 24
Awards
-
Distinguished Service Order (DSO) — gazetted 23 September 1941
-
Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM) — gazetted 9 July 1940