Kenneth William Gerrish

Memorial: South Gloucestershire war dead not on a local memorial

Regiment: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

Rank and number: Aircraftman 2nd Class 2313645

Parents: Philip and Edith Gerrish

Home address: 9 Abbott's Avenue, Hanham, Bristol

Pre-war occupation: Schoolboy

Date of birth: 29/05/1928

Place of birth: Hanham

Date of death: 22/08/1947

Buried/Commemorated at: Buried at Hanham (Christ Church) Churchyard. Not commemorated on a local memorial

Age: 19

Further information:

Kenneth was born in Hanham, the son of a General Dealer and a middle child of at least five children.

Kenneth joined the RAF immediately post-war and was undertaking a radio training course at RAF Bawdsey in Suffolk, when he died. He and a second aircraftman drowned after getting caught up in a current at the mouth of the River Deben. The two men were taking part in a RAF training exercise and the organisers were heavily criticised by the coroner for their general disregard of basic safety.

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/