Persons of Interest – Sergeant 1383404 Greystone Doyle Cumberbatch

Persons of Interest

On the second and fourth Mondays of each month, we share a short story provided by a member about a person of interest in their one-name study. So whether your person is good, bad, or simply interesting or unusual, please send us your 200-300 word story with one or a few images. This week we have an addition post from Guild member Bob Cumberbatch who mentioned this in the latest Guild webinar, which you can view HERE (this will become a member benefit next Saturday, 26th May 2018).

Somethings just cannot be researched, and this makes them all the more valuable to know, to keep and for a one-name study, to share.

Aged 21 years, Grey and five of his fellow Lancaster crewmen of ED549 of 100 Squadron were killed on the 5^th March, 1943 when their plane crashed in a field near the village of Plungar on the border of Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire in England. One crewman survived. Their plane, returning from laying mines off the coast of France, had been diverted due to fog and was unable to land before, as I suspect, it ran out of fuel and crashed.

Years later a man walking his dog found a piece of debris from the crash and this led to the village of Plungar and the British Legion raising funds for a memorial and a memorial church service.

The church service was an amazing spectacle. It was held on 22 September 2012 and I had the honour and privilege to attend the ceremony. I video recorded the service and the recording has been viewed 1,402 times. It was one of the most important things that I have ever done.

If you would like to watch the memorial service, then it can be found here: https://youtu.be/ilRnR9XdPD8 and the last few minutes of the recording includes a fly-by of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’s Lancaster Bomber.

During his voyage from Barbados to England he travelled on the S.S. Maaskerk in first class. He was heading for the Royal Air Force, Air Ministry, Room 307, Kingsway, London with the rest of the Barbados Second Contingent. The Barbados Second Contingent were 12 well educated young men destined for greatness. Six were black and six white, six died and six lived. One who lived included Errol W. Barrow who would enter politics and eventually become Barbados’ first Prime Minister (1966 – 1976).

Grey’s sister, Nan Flora travelled from Barbados to attend the service and to see her brother’s grave in St Swithun Churchyard, Long Bennington, Lincolnshire, England. I took the opportunity to chat with her about Grey and his short life. Nan revealed that Grey was a talented cricketer and pianist.

Nan revealed that the ship that carried these men to England had a piano but no-one to play it. So Grey stepped in and played the piano to entertain the ship’s passengers every night for the duration of the journey to England.

Thanks so much Bob for such a fascinating webinar together with Paul Howes and for this great write up. If you are researching Cumberbatch, please contact Bob. Whilst you can, please listen the webinar that Bob and Paul did as part of the Guild Seven Pillars Series.