Second World War - Lynsted Memorial Project

Geoffrey Sydney BUTTON (of Teynham)

b. December 1923
d. 18th January 1945. Aged 22

Flying Officer Navigator, Service Number 166725
Royal Air Force (Volunteer Reserve)
Sittingbourne Cemetery
Died in a flying accident


Son of Arthur, a painter and decorator, and Charlotte Ellen Jane (née Bunting) of The Crescent, Barrow Green, Teynham, Sydney (nicknamed "Tiffy") was born in December 1923.

Geoffrey was made a Substantive Flying Officer Navigator on 6 April 1945, just one month before VE Day. He was stationed at 17 Operational Training Unit Royal Air Force, RAF Silverstone, Towcester, Northamptonshire. It was from here that at 9.50am on 18 January 1946, Wellington Bomber LR125 took off with five crew, including Geoffrey as navigator, for a cross-country navigational exercise.

At 10:45am, while flying in cloud, the Wellington crashed at Hendwr, near Corwen, 11 miles North East of Bala, Merioneth. The plane broke up but did not catch fire. However, all the crew were lost.

Along with Geoffrey, those lost were Sergeant (Pilot) Norman Charles Brunning, Sergeant (Air Gunner) Alfred Frederick Butler, Sergeant (Wireless Op/Air Gunner) Lawson Terence Crabb and, Flight Sergeant (Navigator/Air Bomber) William Spence Kinnair.

The official Air Ministry board of Inquiry reported that it was likely that the cause of the crash was likely to have been due to the "pilot's head freezing over, leading to loss of control".

Geoffrey is buried in Sittingbourne Cemetery.

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