Geoffrey Seymour Hartley
Memorial: Thornbury - St Mary's Church
Regiment: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Medals: 1939–45 Star, War Medal 1939–1945
Rank and number: Flying Officer
Parents: Eveline O and Alvara Hartley
Home address: Horton, 7 Park Avenue, Wolstanton, Newcastle Under Lyme, Staffordshire
Pre-war occupation: Trainee Accountant
Date of birth: 1922
Date of death: 22/02/1944
Buried/Commemorated at: No known burial site but commemorated at Alamein Memorial, Egypt and Thornbury Grammar School Memorial
Age: 21
Further information:
Son of a managing director of a roof tile company and the middle brother of 3, Geoffrey attended Thornbury Grammar School at one stage in his career and all 3 brothers trained for the RAF.
Geoffrey’s squadron was formed in April in 1943 at Idku Egypt. At the time of Geoffrey’s death, 227 squadron was based at Benghazi Libya. The squadron was an anti-shipping and maritime reconnaissance squadron and most of its operations took place over the Aegean. The squadron was also used for some attacks on targets on Crete and to provide fighter cover for convoys. On the day of his death, Geoffrey and a Sergeant Scarlett were flying Bristol Beaufighter EL228 when it was shot down by German Merschersmitt Bf-109s near Candia, Crete. Both air crew were killed.
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/
Thornbury Roots - http://www.thornburyroots.co.uk/war/tgsmemorial2/
http://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/RAF/227_wwII.html
http://aviationarchaeology.gr/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Beaufighter-losses-in-Greece-1941-19464.pdf