|
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Childs
Aged 21 years
Died 15th November 1941
Commemorated at Bergen General Cemetery, Netherlands
Grave Plot 1. D.1.
|
|
Evening Telegraph, Monday, 17th November 1941, transcribed by John Collins.
Expected Home on Leave - Sad News for Rushden Parents
This morning (Monday), Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Childs, of 8, Station-road, Rushden, were looking forward to the arrival on leave of their only surviving son, Sergt. Frank Childs, R.A.F. Instead they received a telegram stating that he is “missing”, after a flight on Saturday. Further particulars promised in the wire are anxiously awaited.
Sergt. Childs is 21 and joined the R.A.F.V.R. last year. Always an enthusiastic student of aviation, he quickly qualified himself for promotion and became a wireless operator on bombers, largely engaged in reconnaissance work under Coastal Command.
He is an old boy of Rushden Intermediate School, and in civilian life was employed by Messrs. Eaton and Co., boot manufacturers, attending the Independent Wesleyan Church, where his parents and two sisters are devoted workers. His father fought in the Great War and is a committeeman of the British Legion.
On Saturday the family received a characteristically cheerful and interesting letter from Sergt. Childs, who was enthusiastic at the prospect of coming home.
|
Evening Telegraph, Wednesday, 21st January 1942, transcribed by John Collins.
Rushden R.A.F Sergeant Killed In Action
Official news received on Tuesday frustrates the hope that Sergeant Frank Childs, R.A.F., of Rushden, who had been missing since an operational flight on November 15th, might still be alive, for a body found at Bergen op Zoom, Holland, has been identified almost definitely as that of the young airman.
Twenty-one years of age, Sergeant Childs was the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Childs, of 8, Station-road, Rushden. He had made many flights as a wireless operator under Costal Command, and many tributes to his character and ability have been received from officers and colleagues since his name appeared on the list of missing.
|
The Rushden Echo and Argus, 23rd January, 1942, transcribed by Jim Hollis
Hope Frustrated - Sad News of Young Rushden Airman
News received from the Air Ministry on Tuesday frustrates the hope that Sergt. Frank Childs, R.A.F., of Rushden, who had been missing since an operational flight on November 15th, might still be alive. Red Cross agencies have reported that a body found at Bergen op Zoom, Holland, on December 12th has been identified almost definitely as that of the young airman.
Twenty-one years of age, Sergt. Childs was the only surviving son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Childs, of 8, Station-road, Rushden. He had made numerous flights as a wireless operator under Coastal Command, and many tributes to his character and ability have been received from officers and colleagues since his name appeared on the list of missing.
A studious and unassuming young man, he attended the Intermediate School and afterwards worked for Messrs. Eaton and Co., boot manufacturers. He devoted much of his spare time to the study of aviation and model construction, and was attached to the Independent Wesleyan Church. Much sympathy has been extended to his parents and two sisters, Violet and Ivy, the father being a popular member of the British Legion Committee and Air Raid Wardens.
|
Letter from Mrs Smith, sister of Frank, written to Clive Wood in 1996
Dear Mr. Wood,
Miss Margaret Shelton informs me that you are hoping to compile a book giving details of the men who lost their lives in the two wars. I think this is a wonderful idea, these young men gave their lives so willingly for their country and it is fitting they should be remembered in this way.
I will enclose details of my brother Sargeant Frank Childs RAFVR who was killed on the 15th November 1941 at the age of 21. He was born on the 27th February 1920 in Rushden, his parents were Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Childs who lived at 8 Station Road and he had an older sister Violet and I was the youngest member of the family.
He was educated at Alfred Street School and the Intermediate School and after leaving school was employed at Eatons factory in Irchester Road. He also attended and was a member of the Independent Wesleyan Church as we all were. Incidentally our parents were the first to be married in the church and I have a Family Bible which was given to them by the Officers of the church to commemmorate their marriage there in June 1900.
Frank was always keen on aircraft and all his pocket money was spent on materials for making model planes or on books on them. I remember when the R101 flew over the town and all the children at school were allowed into the playground to watch it going over but Frank was eager to get nearer to it so he ran out of school to stand on the bridge at the railway station so that he was this bit closer to it!
As soon as war broke out he enlisted and was accepted in the R.A.F, but was not called up until 1940 when he was accepted to train as wireless operator/air gunner for air crew. After completing his training he was posted to 217 Squadron in Coastal Command and completed a number of operations.
In November 1941 we received a letter from him saying his crew were on experimental hush-hush work and were being moved from station to station and if asked what they were doing they had to say they were resting between operations. He also stated he would be coming home the following weekend and asked my mother to make plenty of mince pies as he would not be home for Christmas. We expected him to arrive all that weekend but he did not arrive and on Monday morning we received a telegram to say his plane was missing. The following January we received a letter to say his body had been recovered in Bergen, North Holland and he is buried in a War Graves Cemetery there which I have visited on three occasions.
We later heard that the weather conditions were dreadful that night, very dark and gale force winds and the crew were asked if they would volunteer to try out the equipment under such conditions but unfortunately they were hit by flak. The body of Frank and the airgunner were recovered but it is believed the pilot and navigator went down with the plane.
You asked me where my father was employed and this was at the Boot Company of the Co-operative Society Limited in Portland Road, he actually worked there for 43 years.
Ivy Earl Smith
|
Rushden Evening Telegraph, 18th March, 1942, transcribed by Clive Wood
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Childs, of 8, Station-road, Rushden, have been informed by the International Red Cross that their son, Sergt. Frank Childs, R.A.F., who lost his life when his plane was shot down during night operations, is buried in the parish cemetery at Bergen, North Holland.
|
|
