David Maltby

Thanks for the enlightenment Kev,

Just that the church guide does not explain the link but neither does it offer much explanation for the dedication of the magnificent E window by Tiffany’s.

I think its very touching that the crew are remembered as well on his memorial as they all perished the same day.

Its painted on the reverse of a paving slab so must have been added above the grave itself.

Interestingly there is no account in the village as to why he is buried here and also how the epitaph includes ‘and of his crew’ :confused:

SQN/LDR Maltby is buried in the churchyard at Wickhambreaux because that is where his wife Georgina lived. There is no confusion about the epitaph mentioning his crew. If one reads the stone properly, it simply reads as follows:

In Loving Memory of SQN/LDR Maltby…. and of his crew.

Obviously Georgina Maltby realised that her husband’s crew were to be forever united in death, as they were in life, and she wanted their deaths to be recognised in connection with that of her husband. I can only assume that the family would have been offered a CWGC headstone but that this was refused as the family wished to retain the stone they had provided.

The crew was engaged on an operation to Ladbergen which was recalled, when, for reasons unknown, the aircraft crashed into the sea off Cromer. The remainder of the crew are remembered on the Runnymede Memorial.

Regards,

kev35

Hi Trumper,

Its painted on the reverse of a paving slab so must have been added above the grave itself.

Interestingly there is no account in the village as to why he is buried here and also how the epitaph includes ‘and of his crew’ :confused:

🙂 A very ordinary looking grave for an extraordinary person.
Was the last sign/plaque [in the last photo] an extra addition by someone else .It does’nt look like an “official” grave stone just added by others that loved or appreciated what he did.