John Howard Player

John Howard Player held a regular commission in the Royal Air Force, his service number 40316 falling in the range issued to officers commissioned before the outbreak of war, and he was the son of Edith Mary Player of Shalford in Essex. He rose to the rank of Wing Commander and was a decorated officer, holding both the Distinguished Service Order and the Distinguished Flying Cross; his name appears repeatedly in the London Gazette across the war years, including the supplement of 28 September 1943 (Issue 36192, page 4357). His Commonwealth War Graves Commission record links him to No. 69 Squadron, the reconnaissance unit that operated from Malta and later from the Mediterranean and north-west Europe flying types such as the Baltimore, Wellington, Spitfire and Mosquito. Player survived the war but died on 8 August 1947, aged 36, while serving in occupied Germany. He is buried in Munster Heath War Cemetery in Germany, grave reference 1. A. 14, where he is commemorated by the CWGC among the post-war service dead.