Elcome, Douglas William

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Cemetery: Runnymede Memorial

Country: England

Area: Surrey

Rank: Sergeant

Force: Royal Air Force

Official Number: 740713

Unit: 602 Sqdn.

Country of Service: British

Details: 26/10/40 Aged 21 Panel 14. Son of Gilbert Frederick and Isabel Jane Elcome, of Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. Douglas is commemorated on his Mothers headstone at Cardiff. Douglas William Elcome was born in Kingston, Surrey in March 1919 and moved with his family to Whetstone, north London in 1926. Elcome attended Finchley County School in the early 1930s where he was much influenced by his history teacher who believed a second world war was inevitable. He became convinced that he should be fully prepared to fight for his country if necessary and around September 1937, at the age of 18, he joined the RAFVR as an Airman (under training) Pilot. He was called up on 1st September 1939, and completed his flying training at 14 FTS Cranfield in early June 1940 and, after converting to Spitfires, he joined 602 Squadron at Drem on the 21st. On 12th August 1940 602 Squadron moved south to Westhampnett in Sussex. Elcome claimed a Me109 destroyed over Dungeness on the 31st. He landed at Ford following this action with a damaged glycol tank. On 10th September he crashed on to Felpham golf course during night-flying practice, wrecking Spitfire L1040. Elcome failed to return from a routine patrol on 26th October 1940 in Spitfire R6839 and was reported 'Missing', aged 21. Son of Gilbert Frederick & Isabel Jane Elcome of Leigh on Sea, Essex. Family grave Sec G/B. Officially commemorated at Runnymede Memorial (Panel 14)

Photograph by David Ayling

Runnymede Memorial - Elcome, Douglas William

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