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Philip Percy Mortimore

Sergeant Pilot - Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserves - Service No. 1334708

Background Information

Born

21st March 1921

Academics

Rank

Sergeant Pilot - Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserves - Service No. 1334708

Campaigns

Died

6th December 1942 age 21

Philip Percy Mortimore was born on 21st March 1921 in Wells, Somerset. His father was Percy George Mortimore, a Printer’s Storekeeper, and his mother was Gertrude Harriet (née Farley). He previously attended Gordon Senior School in Gravesend.
In 1933 Philip Mortimore joined The County School for Boys – now known as Gravesend Grammar School. The Head Master at that time was the Reverend Samuel Lister. The County School for Boys was located in Darnley Road, Gravesend close to the Railway Station (now the Victoria Centre for Education). In 1938 the School moved to brand new premises in Church Walk, Milton, Gravesend opposite to Milton Church..
The School’s Admission Register lists Philip’s address as 47 Norfolk Road, Gravesend. Whilst at the School, Phllip was in Hill House.
In 1936 Philip left the School and started work as a Stereotype Apprentice with Amalgamated Press. He enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserves, Service Number 1334708, in July 1941. He trained in Florida, USA, then returned to possibly carry on his training at 42F Training Squadron, based in King’s Lynn, Norfolk, as a Sergeant Pilot.
Philip Mortimore was killed on 6th December 1942 when he, and another pupil Sergeant Pilot, crashed in a Master II Aircraft AZ589 near Kings Lynn. Sergeant E T Smith, his co-pilot, was seriously injured. Philip Mortimore was 21 years old. His funeral was held on 12th December at Milton Church, he is buried at Gravesend Cemetery.

There are links below to Newspaper Clippings and Photographs from the Gravesend Grammar School Archives.
Below are links to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website and a few other websites that might be of interest:
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2361682/mortimore,-philip-percy/

Gravesend Cemetery