William Francis Pegler Burns
Memorial: Thornbury - St Mary's Church
Regiment: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Medals: 1939–45 Star, War Medal 1939–1945
Rank and number: Flight Sergeant (Observer)
Parents: William and Ella Lilian Burns
Marital status: Married
Home address: 66 Haddon Street, Derby
Pre-war occupation: Clerk, London Midland and Scottish Railways
Date of birth: 16/04/1912
Date of death: 18/03/1942
Buried/Commemorated at: Buried at Khartoum War Cemetery, Sudan and commemorated on St Mary’s Memorial Thornbury
Age: 29
Further information:
Frank’s father was killed during WW1 whilst serving as a stretcher-bearer on the Somme and Frank was just 4 years old at the time. He was the eldest of 3 brothers and was aged 11 when his mother got married for a second time, this time to Nelson Higgins a coalman. Frank and his youngest brother Mervyn both attended Thornbury Grammar School. Frank was married to Edna Maud Burns
Frank joined the RAF in 1937 and was killed in the Middle East, but the circumstances of his death are not known. His brother Mervyn, also served in the RAF and was killed in action 6 months after Francis.
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/families/burns-higgins/