Roll of Honour 2023

P AGE 281

W ORLD W AR II

S T . E DWARD ’ S S CHOOL , O XFORD R OLL OF H ONOUR

Name RICHARD DONALD YATES (Pilot Officer)

Set / House D

Lef SES 1941

Roll Number 3186 Died 03:11:1943

Arrive SES 1937

Where DUSSELDORF, GERMANY Serving with 625 SQN, BOMBER CMD, R.A.F.V.R.

Age 21

Buried Reichswald Forest Cemetery, Kleve, Germany Remembered The St. Edward’s School WW2 Memorial

Born Blackburn in 1922. ‘He left the School rather earlier than most people owing to the distance of his home and then because of his busy life in the Royal Air Force. He was a boy of many interests and he put great zest into his games. He had the rare gift of constant cheerfulness and was rarely without an infectious smile and to this must be added an attractive spirit of unselfishness’ (Chronicle). He joined the R.A.F.V.R. from School as a Leading Aircraftsman in 1942 and qualified as a Pilot Officer in 625 Squadron, Bomber Command, flying Lancasters, in 1943. He was killed in action in November 1943 during a mission over Dusseldorf, Germany when his aircraft was shot down by ground fire. He was the rear-gunner on this mission.