Robert Donald Wells
Memorial: Staple Hill - Page Park
Regiment: King's Own Scottish Borderers
Medals: 1939–45 Star, War Medal 1939–1945
Rank and number: Private
Parents: William Henry and Muriel Evelyn Wells
Marital status: Married
Home address: 57 Lansdowne Road Kingswood
Pre-war occupation: Builder's Foreman
Date of birth: 22/05/1916
Date of death: 04/04/1944
Buried/Commemorated at: Buried in Mangotsfield (Downend) Cemetery and commemorated on Staple Hill War Memorial
Age: 27
Further information:
In the early hours of the 4th April 1944, during an exercise codenamed ‘Dreme’, a Stirling aircraft towing a Horsa glider hit the top of a tree on high ground. The Horsa glider was immediately released and crashed at Warnford, Hampshire killing all aboard. The Stirling flew on for about 15 minutes before crashing at 21.00hrs. 26 Borderers including Robert, were killed, together with 6 RAF personnel and 2 glider pilots.
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.findmypast.co.uk/
https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/
https://www.paradata.org.uk/unit/7th-battalion-kings-own-scottish-borderers-kosb
https://www.billericayhistory.org.uk/content/topics/place-2/war-memorials/billericay_war_memorial/second-waorld-war-memorial/memories-sgt-henry-thomas-joel
https://www-portsmouth-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.portsmouth.co.uk/lifestyle/heritage/day-that-33-perished-as-bomber-towing-a-glider-clipped-trees-over-meon-valley-1-