Research Forum

Whilst in Torbay recently Brian Airey spotted this in an exhibition about the Dambusters:

Brian  wondered whether anyone in the Society would be interested:  

A couple of years ago I was in correspondence with a member of this society who was related to Ft Sgt Jack R.G. LIDDELL so I hope they read this. 

The first queries we had about Jack LIDDELL were in about 2009, and we were able then to find out quite a bit about him including some relations still in Weston.  Some of what we found was used by the BBC in a documentary about the Dambuster Raids.

• Sgt Jack Robert George LIDDELL - Born June 22nd 1924 in Axbridge and moved to Weston at an early age. Attended Walliscote School in Weston. Worked in a local butchers called COGLE Bros in West Street, then another butchers, T P WILDRIDGE of St James St. During the blitz he became a Fire Brigade Messenger. Joined the RAF in May 1941 and trained as a wireless operator and rear gunner. Joined 61 Squadron in September 1942, then 617 Squadron (Dambusters Squadron) in March 1943.
• His crew flew in Lancaster AJ-E and was detailed to bomb the Sorpe Dam on the night of 16th May 1943. His plane never made it, and crashed near Haldern in northern Germany. He is buried at the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery with the rest of the crew.
• His name was initially omitted from the Weston War Memorial in Grove Park, but the local newspaper highlighted this during the 50th anniversary of the raid in 1993. There was a campaign for Jack's name to be added which was successful in 1995.