FEATHERSTONE Gerald

Gerald Featherstone was born on 24th October 1919. He entered Form IIa at Kings Norton Boys School on 8th September 1931 and left the school from Form IIa on 22nd July 1932. His home address on the school records was given as 68 Mossfield Road, King’s Heath. Notes: Transferred to Cotton College.

1939 Register
Birmingham
Francis R. Featherstone, born 9th December 1889, Commissionaire & Timekeeper; St John’s Ambulance As(sistant?), & factory A.R.P. Service
Margaret Featherstone, born 26th November 1889, Unpaid Domestic Duties
French Muriel Jean, later Featherstone, later Lee, born 29th October 1919, Shorthand Typist

Gerald married Muriel Jean French in 1941; the couple had no children.

Gerald Featherstone was the pilot of Wellington IC BB511 which took off from Gibraltar bound for Malta. The crew were part of No 1 Overseas Aircraft Delivery Unit and their mission was a Delivery Flight. The aircraft went missing on the flight between Gibraltar and Malta; no trace was ever found of the aircraft or the crew.

Gerald Featherstone is also listed on Cotton College War Memorial.

The following information is courtesy of a relative of one of the crew on Gerald’s Featherstone’s aircraft:
My grandfather Pilot Officer Christopher Newell-Jones was a member of the aircrew on the Wellington, he being the Wireless Operator. The RAF Casualty Records from the National Archives (Air 81) describing the circumstances of the missing aircraft and the aircrew was a source of information.

Gerald was with Bomber Command, specifically the 15 Operational Training Unit which trained with the 21 Operation Training Unit at Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire. The rest of the aircrew were with the 21 OTU with the exception being my grandfather who had transferred from the 21 OTU to the 15 OTU on the 12th March, perhaps in order to transport aircraft to the Middle East with the 1 OADU operating out of Portreath.

Gerald Featherstone piloted a Wellington bomber with a full crew from Portreath (Cornwall) to Gibraltar on the 28th March 1942 as a part of 1 OADU (Overseas Aircraft Delivery Unit) destined for Malta, the end destination for the aircraft was the Middle East (Portreath-Gibraltar-Malta-Middle East). The aircrew had not yet been assigned to a Squadron and presumably this flight was their last flight as an OTU crew? After departing Gibraltar on the 30th March 1942, the aircraft failed to arrive at Malta and was reported as missing with all aircrew.

Malta was a hotbed of activity during the week Featherstone’s aircraft attempted to land there. The weather on that day was 100% cloud with a westerly wind. It is not known if the aircraft crashed due to weather, mechanical failure or enemy action.

Further information from the same relative:
1921 census
King’s Norton
Francis Featherstone, Head, age 31 years 6 months, born Burton, Staffordshire, Police Constable, Birmingham City Police
Margaret Featherstone, Wife, age 31 years 7 months, born St Helens, Lancashire, Home Duties
Francis Featherstone, son, age 3 years 2 months
Gerald Featherstone, son, age 1 year 8 months

Gerald was a Lieutenant in the Royal Warwickshire regiment from 1938 until he enlisted with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in early 1941. He was sent to Manitoba, Canada for pilot training in June of the same year.

Gerald Featherstone on his wedding day. Photograph courtesy and copyright of the family

Gerald Featherstone, Image Copyright of the Air Ministry