Name
Albert Thomas Summers
Conflict
Second World War
Date of Death / Age
09/07/1940
26
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Sergeant
563808
Royal Air Force
21 Sqdn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL
Panel 20.
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St. Mark’s Church Memorial, Hitchin, Hitchin Roll of Honour 1939 – 1945 (Book) St Mary’s Church, Hitchin
Biography
He was an Observer in 21 Squadron flying Blenheim bombers and was given Service Number 563808. He was on operational sorties as early as the 16th March 1940 when he was in the crew of a Blenheim attacking shipping off the Frisian Islands. When the Battle of France began on the l lth May 1940 he was engaged in attacking troop concentrations. The Blenheims suffered considerable losses in these engagements.
On the 9th July 1940 he took off at 08.00hrs from Lossiemouth in a Blenheim IV R3732 YH-L for an operation against Stavanger in Norway with 21 Squadron. The aircraft crashed into the sea and the three members of the crew were killed. Seven of the Blenheims attacking Stavanger were lost. One member of the crew of Bert's aircraft was buried in Denmark but the others have no known grave and are remembered on Panel 20 of the Runnymede Memorial to the Missing at Egham in Surrey.
He was the son of Squadron Leader and Mrs Albert Summers and the husband of Eva Violet Summers of Hitchin.
Acknowledgments
David C Baines – ‘Hitchin’s Century of Sacrifice’, Paul Johnson - local historian, ‘Bomber Command War Diaries’ by M. Middlebrook & C. Everitt, ‘Bomber Command Losses’ by W.R. Chorley
