Sports Day 1932

Sports day report from 1932. Featured races include the 'mothers thread needle race'.

Roll of Honour: Ronald Horwood

Sergeant (Air Gunner) R. W. Horwood

61 Sqn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

1337229

Killed in action, 22 August 1943, Netherlands. Aged 21.

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Born in Horsell about 1922 , Ronald William Horwood was the third and youngest son of Arthur (‘Andy’) and Lena Horwood (nee Gilbert) of Walton-on-Thames and the brother of Cyril Horwood (q.v.) who was also killed in action aged 21.

Ronald arrived at the County School in 1933 and eventually became prefect and vice-captain of the school cricket team. He was awarded football and rugby colours.

After leaving school in 1939 Ronald took over his older brothers post as clerk at Brookwood hospital where he remained until volunteering in August 1941. He was a keen sportsman who gained colours in rugby, cricket and football whilst at the County School. After leaving school he played cricket for the Olinda Vandals in Walton and football for Old Wokingians FC.

After enlistment Ronald learned to fly in Southern Rhodesia before returning to England in April 1943. He then took part in many operations over occupied Europe including a raid on Milan.

Ronald served with 61 Sqn. based at RAF Syerston near Nottingham. Sydney Bradshaw (q.v.) served with the same squadron.

On the evening of 22 August 1943 Lancaster DV228 was airborne from Syerston at 2111. The average age of the crew was just 23. The destination that night was Leverkusen. She was intercepted and shot down by a Luftwaffe night fighter piloted by Lt. Heinz Block over Heicop in the south of Holland.

The crew that night were as follows:

Sgt. Joseph A. Spencer - Aged 22 from Letchworth, Hertfordshire. KIA.

Sgt. (Flt. Eng.) Thomas F. Watkins - Aged 23 from London. KIA

Sgt. (Nav.) Jack Punter - Aged 26 from Norwood, Surrey. KIA.

Sgt. S. Williamson - Captured.

Sgt. S. J. Banting (W. op./air gunner) - Aged 21 from Woodcote, Sussex. KIA.

Sgt. (Air gunner) Einar Johnson (RCAF) - Aged 26 from Canada. KIA.

Sgt. (Air gunner) Ronald Horwood - Aged 21 from Horsell.

Ronald Horwood is buried in Hei-En-Boeicop (Heicop) General Cemetery, Netherlands (row 1, joint grave 3). He is also remembered on the Woking County Grammar School roll of honour located in Christ Church, Woking.

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Last updated 3 April 2010

Sources

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Woking News and Mail

Woking County School magazine

www.lostbombers.co.uk

Roll of Honour: Cyril Horwood

 

Pilot Officer C. E. Horwood

489 (RNZAF) Sqn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

66538

Died on active service, 2 October 1941, England. Aged 21.

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Cyril Ernest Horwood was born in 1920, the eldest son of Mr and Mrs Arthur and Lena Horwood (nee Gilbert) of Branksome Close, Walton-on-Thames. He attended Woking Couty School from 1931-1937. Before the war he worked as a clerk at Brookwood Hospital. After he enlisted his younger brother Ronald (another Old Wokingian) took over his job at the hospital. Ronald then followed his brother into the Air Force and in 1941, was also killed in action. He was also 21.

Cyril served with 489 Sqn. (RNZAF) which was formed in 1941 at RAF Leuchers in Fife, Scotland the most northerly air defence station in Britain. The squadron was formed with pilots from the New Zealand Air Force and operated twin-engined Bristol Beauforts on anti-submarine and reconnaissance missions under Coastal Command.

Bristol Beaufort Mk. I

On 2 October 1941 Cyril took off from Leuchers in his Beaufort (N1075) on a solo training flight. He crashed into the River Eden on his approach to Thornaby airfield in Yorkshire. His body was later recovered from the sea.

Cyril Horwood is buried in Thornaby-on-Tees Cemetery, Yorkshire (plot O, row N, grave 11). He is also remembered on the Woking County Grammar School roll of honour located in Christ Church, Woking.

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Last updated 4 July 2010

Sources

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Woking News and Mail

Woking County School magazine

1937 Prefects

1937 Prefects. Photo taken in upper playground.

Gilbert Rowe, Cyril Horwood and Jack Benham were killed in WW2.

1936 Senior Cricket Team

1936 Senior Cricket Team. Photo taken in the upper playground.

Kenneth Wilmot and Cyril Horwood were both killed in WW2.

Roll of Honour

Incomplete list of Old Wokingians killed, decorated or captured during WW2. I'm not sure why Cyril Horwood has been scratched from the list because he was killed on a training flight at RAF Leuchers in 1941.

1938 Senior Football Team

1938 Senior Football Team. Photo taken in upper playground.

A very sad photo. No less than six of these boys were killed in WW2.

Horace (Phil) Black, Gordon Carden, Ronald Horwood, John Underhill, Denys Cooper and Derek Lord.

1937 Senior Cricket Team

1937 Senior Cricket Team. Photo taken in upper playground.

Four of these boys, Gilbert (Peter) Rowe, Kenneth Noble, Horace (Philip) Black and Cyril Horwood were killed in WW2.

1938 Senior Cricket Team

1938 Senior Cricket Team. Photo taken in upper playground.

Four of these boys, Kenneth Noble, Gordon Carden, Ronald Horwood and Horace (Phil) Black were killed in WW2.

1939 School Prefects

1939 School Prefects. Photo taken in the upper playground.

Norman Pronger and Ronald Horwood were both killed in WW2.

1939 Senior Cricket Team

1939 Senior Cricket Team. Photo taken in the upper playground.

John Underhill, Gordon Carden and Ronald Horwood were all killed in WW2.

1939 Senior Rugby XV

1939 Senior Rugby XV. Photo taken in the upper playground.

Gordon Carden, Ronald Horwood and Derek Lord were all killed in WW2.