Denys Geoffrey Graeme (Geo) Coles
Memorial: Hambrook - Whiteshill Common
Regiment: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Medals: 1939–45 Star, Air Crew Europe Star, War Medal 1939–1945
Rank and number: First Officer 72509
Parents: Denys Francis Parr and Margery Graeme Coles
Home address: Little Begbrook, Frenchay, Bristol
Pre-war occupation: Pilot from 1937
Date of birth: 1918
Date of death: 22/01/1941
Buried/Commemorated at: No known burials site but commemorated on Runnymede Memorial (Panel 29), Surrey and All Saints Winterbourne Down Memorial
Age: 23
Further information:
22 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Denys was the son of a coal merchant and the eldest of 4 siblings with a younger brother and 2 younger sisters. He went first to the Dragon School in Oxford then to Clifton School and in both excelled at boxing and rugby. He went on to Trinity College Oxford to study law and gain a Rugby Blue. When he left University, he played for Bristol Rugby Club and happiness was described as one of his principal qualities. Denys joined the RAF in 1937 and was killed when his aircraft Beaufort N1151 of 22 Squadron became lost on a patrol to Terschelling, an island off the Netherlands, strategically important to the Germans. He and his crew were listed as missing in action in January. The status was changed to presumed killed in September.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
This information has been provided by Sarah Hands, Volunteer Researcher for the South Gloucestershire War Memorials Web Site.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
https://www.cwgc.org/
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/
https://www.findmypast.co.uk/
https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/
https://www.roll-of-honour.com/Oxfordshire/OxfordDragonSchool.html
http://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=N1151
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Castle.htm