Desmond Michael De Silva

R/95750 - Desmond Michael De Silva - W/O - 218 Squadron - KIA 24/08/1943

[Sources: CWGC and RCAF Casualty List 0918 and Chorley’s; courtesy Alieneyes]

W/O De Silva DFM shows up with parents in Flushing, NY. RCAF Casualty List 0918, however, shows W/O Desmond Michael De Silva DFM as being from Georgetown, British Guiana.

CWGC says 218 Squadron but Chorleys has him lost as a rear gunner on a Stirling from No. 623 Squadron. Both list him as an American from Flushing Meadows, NY City.

RCAF Casualty List 0918 and Chorley’s

Robert Gerald Huxtable

R/133782 - W/O Robert Gerald Huxtable - Wireless Operator/Air Gunner - KIA  03/06/1944

[Source: CWGC]

Dave Champion (aug. 2010): Robert Huxtable, listed as being from Nassau, Bahamas, was actually born and bred in Toronto, Ontario. I pulled his RCAF service file a couple of days ago.

The Bahamas connection comes from the fact his ferrying unit was based there. He was killed, along with his crew, when his Marauder crashed just after takeoff in Egypt, now Sudan.

He was married and his wife was also from Toronto.

Ambrose Alexander Graham

1391860 - A.A. Graham - Trinidad - W/O - Pilot - attested 6.6.41 - K. 12.9.44

[Source: NA AIR 2/6876 - Nominal Roll of Coloured Candidates, October 1944]

1391860 - Warrant Officer - Pilot - 1690 Flt, RAF Scampton - Martinet - KIA at 24

Educated at QRC; nickname “Sonny”; Volunteer Trinidad ETS, trained at Piarco; Martinet HP321 of 1690 Flight, RAF Scampton, piloted by Graham with LAC Lewis on board encountered engine failure and force landed at Hicknall aerodrome. Graham killed instantly, Lewis died in hospital - Son of Ambrose Nathaniel and Francisca Graham, of Bpasso Piedpa, Trinidad.

[Source: CMHA]

Name: GRAHAM, AMBROSE ALEXANDER
Initials: A A
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Warrant Officer (Pilot)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Age: 24
Date of Death: 12/09/1944
Service No: 1391860
Additional information: Son of Ambrose Nathaniel and Francisca Graham, of Bpasso Piedpa, Trinidad.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. D. Grave 7A.
Cemetery: HUCKNALL CEMETERY

[Source: www.WW2chat.com]

James Joseph Hyde

Flight Sergeant James Hyde of San Juan, Trinidad, a Spitfire pilot who arrived in Britain in 1942 to begin his training, here pictured in 1944 with his Squadron’s mascot, a dog called ‘Dingo’. He is wearing a life jacket, known universally as a Mae West, and is holding an oxygen mask and his flying gloves. Most air battles took place at altitudes in excess of 15,000 feet (c. 5000 metres) and oxygen and thermal protection were vital. [Source: www.movinghere.org.uk - Imperial War Museum (IWM) Reference CH11978]

1391841 - J.J. Hyde - Trinidad - W/O - Pilot - attested 6.6.41 - M. 25.9.44

[Source: NA AIR 2/6876 - Nominal Roll of Coloured Candidates, October 1944]

1391841 - Warrant Officer - Pilot - 132 Sqn - Spitfire IXE, PL316 - KIA at 27

Volunteer Trinidad ETS, trained at Piarco. Took off at 1525hrs on 25 Sep 1944, tasked with providing aerial cover during the battle of Arnhem. Killed in dog fight over Nijmegan. Probably shot down by a/c of Jagdkorps II, probably I/JG26 or II JG26 which claimed 4 Spitfires each. See Top guns of the Luftwaffe, D Caldwell, pg 281. German a/c FW 190D-9 or Bf 109G-6. - Son of Joseph and Millicent Hyde, of San Juan, Trinidad.

[Source: CMHA]

Name: HYDE, JAMES JOSEPH
Initials: J J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Warrant Officer (Pilot)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 132 Sqdn.
Age: 27
Date of Death: 25/09/1944
Service No: 1391841
Additional information: Son of Joseph and Millicent Hyde, of San Juan, Trinidad.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: 17. A. 7.
Cemetery: JONKERBOS WAR CEMETERY

[Source: www.WW2chat.com]

William Etherington Alcazar

JR56251 - Warrant Officer - RCAF - Observer - 405 Sqn - KIA on 30 June 1942LD FOREST WAR CEMETERY

Son of Sir Henry Albert Alcazar, K.C., and of Lady Alcazar (nee Stone), of Port-of-Spain, Trinidad.

[Source: CMHA]

[Trinidad Guardian 18 January 1944 - Courtesy Jerome Lee, CMHA]

Oscar Owen Sylvester

Sergeant/Warrant Officer - Pilot - 15 sqn - Lancaster - DFM

ATS; 33 Missions, awarded DFM. Post war RAF Wyton, Lincoln B2

[Source: CG, CMHA]

John Rowan Henry

Warrant Officer - Wireless Operator/Gunner - Completed one tour of operations

[Source: CG, MOD]

Osmund Alleyne from Dominica and J.R Henry from Antigua [Photograph IWM]