BOALER Eric

Eric Boaler lived at 127 Cemetery Road, Lye, and he was educated at King Edward’s School from 1932 to 1938. He enlisted in the Royal Air Force and volunteered for air crew training as a pilot. He was probably posted to Coastal Command, as he died while on active service over the Irish Sea on the 30th April 1942. Like many others engaged in flying over the oceans he was ‘presumed drowned’. This was a period of heightened activity in the Battle of the Atlantic. Aircraft lacked the range to reach mid-Atlantic and enemy U-boats ambushed convoys from America in this area.

The following information is courtesy of Wendy Hill, niece of Eric Boaler:
Eric Boaler was born on 20th November 1921, he died on 30th April 1942 aged 20. He was the son of John Henry and Alice Maria Boaler (nee Moody).

The following information is courtesy of David Boaler, nephew of Eric Boaler:
Eric Boaler was piloting a non-operational flight on 30th April 1942. He left Harwell near Didcot heading north west. A mechanical fault happened, I do not know (no information given) exactly what it was.

Eric circled round South stack lighthouse, which is just off North West Anglesey and ditched the Wellington bomber close to the shore line. This was seen by people who saw airmen in the water, 2 lost their lives, Eric being one of them, Sergeant Roughan’s body was washed ashore on 3rd June 1942, the other crew members were saved.

Eric Boaler has no known grave, the photograph available shows his name on Runnymede Memorial.