Alfred John Simmons, known as Jack, was born on 29/7/1922, the second of four children of Henry and Katherine Simmons. All children were born in a two-roomed cottage in Haywards Heath, Sussex.
Jack’s first connection with the RAF was when he joined the A.T.C. 172 Squadron, Haywards Heath.
After leaving school Jack worked as a delivery boy for a local fishmonger and then he enlisted with the R.A.F. V.R. on 29/7/1940 and trained as an air gunner, allocated svc. no.1357238.
He was attached to 207 Squadron as a rear gunner and his first sortie appears to have been on the 12/13th June 1943 with the ‘Ebert’ crew.
On their 24th sortie, whilst based at R.A.F. Spilsby, Lincs, they flew to the target of Stettin, Germany, where sadly their Lancaster aircraft, ED596 EM-F, crashed and all the crew were killed. They were initially buried locally but were later re-interred at Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery, Poland.
Jack’s name can be found on panel 97 on the IBCC’s Walls. To see his entry on the IBCC Losses Database, click here.
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