Gerald Anthony Willats

 

Gerald Anthony Willats
St. Hillay
credit - findagrave.com

The last military burials of 1941 at St. Hillary, was during October, with the funeral of Sergeant Gerald Anthony Willats, who served with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 79 Squadron, the last from this squadron to be buried before the squadron was sent to the Far East during 1942.

Gerald died on 27^th October, aged 23 years.  He was the son of Ralph and Alice Veronique Willats, of Mesetu, Basutoland, South Africa.

Hurricane Mk II

The circumstance regarding Gerald’s accident remains a mystery.  It is either, Gerald who was flying a Hurricane Mk II crash landed, or overshot his landing on the North Gower Road on the 25^th. Gerald received injuries and was taken to RAF Athens Hospital, where he died two days later.

Blue Funnel ship Diomed - Passenger Lists

Gerald had only arrived at the port of Bristol, on the 25^th of June 1941, following the arrival of the Blue Funnel ship Diomed, following its voyage from Cape Town