F049 JOHN MICHAEL WAGSTAFFE (3)

F049 JOHN MICHAEL WAGSTAFFE. Warrant Officer, Pilot, 1219231, Royal Air Force (VR), attached to 458 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force. Born 1922 at Keighley, West Yorkshire to Frederick Foster and Christina Wagstaffe, nee Barrett. In 1943 he married Pauline Belmont Hilda Ward at Barrow upon Soar, Leister. At the time of his death his widow was residing at The Poplars, Birstall, Leicestershire. His wife died December 2013 at Hour Bay, South Africa.

On the 19th April 1944 he was killed in an aircraft crash about 21.00 hrs at RAF Luqa. He was again crew of a Wellington Mk14 Registration number H243 of 458 Squadron returning from Convoy Escort. At approximately 1,000 feet the port (left) engine cut out and caught fire and crashed at RAF Luqa on landing. The aircraft at the time of the crash was carrying depth charges.

His father Frederick Foster Wagstaff fought and survived the Great War as Private 91425, 9 Tank Corps

At rest in Capuccini Naval Cemetery, Malta Plot F Grave 49