Person    | Male  Born 29/8/1916  Died 28/7/1942

Ben Perry De Haven

Countries: USA

War dead, WW2 i

Commemorated on a memorial as having died in WW2.

Pilot Officer Ben Perry De Haven was born on 29 August 1916 in Mount Sterling, Montgomery County, Kentucky, USA. There would appear to be two ways in which his surname is presented, i.e. De Haven or DeHaven. We have opted to use the spelling shown on the Eagle Squadron war memorial, his gravestone and in RAF records. He was the younger son of Kenney Nuckols DeHaven (1889-1947) and Elizabeth DeHaven née Perry (1892-1953). His elder brother was Wallace DeHaven (1914-1973).

United States Federal Census returns from 1930 to 1940 show him living in Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky, USA. From 1938 he attended the University of Kentucky in Lexington and our image was taken from their year book.

The American Air Museum in Britain website states that in 1940 he went to Canada where he joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, service number 116467. He came to England and as a Pilot Officer he was posted to No.133 (Eagle) Squadron based at RAF Biggin Hill.

He died, aged 25 years, on 28 July 1942 when he was flying his Supermarine Spitfire aeroplane, serial number BL807, when it crashed on a non-operational training flight in Sittingbourne, Kent. He was buried in Plot 24, Row B, Grave 6 in the Brookwood Military Cemetery, Cemetery Pales, Brookwood, Woking, GU24 0BL. He is also commemorated in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website.

Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Ben Perry De Haven

Commemorated ati

Eagle Squadrons

{On the front of the pillar, facing north, into the square, below a carved im...

Read More

Other Subjects

Vitagraph

Vitagraph

International film company.  Formed in Brocklyn by J. Stuart Blackton and Albert E. Smith.  Bought by Warner Bros in 1925.

Group, Cinema, USA

1 memorial
Helene Hanff

Helene Hanff

Born Philadelphia. Wrote 84 Charing Cross Road in 1970. Later made into a play and film. Died New York City. The apartment building where she lived at 305 E. 72nd Street has been named "Charing ...

Person, Literature, USA

1 memorial
Kevin McCarthy

Kevin McCarthy

USA House of Representatives Majority Whip in 2011.  Born California.

Person, Politics & Administration, USA

1 memorial
Tom Moore

Tom Moore

Iris poet, singer and songwriter. Born Thomas Moore at 12 Aungier Street, Dublin. He came to London to study law at the Middle Temple and befriended many prominent people. In 1803, he was appointed...

Person, Music / songs, Poetry, Caribbean Islands, Ireland, USA

2 memorials
Rodney Smith

Rodney Smith

Evangelist. Born in a gipsy tent in Epping Forest, Wanstead. He began to hawk clothes pegs and tinware made by his father and became known as 'The Singing Gipsy Boy' because of his eagerness to sin...

Person, Religion, USA

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Rflm. D. Schuster
War dead, WW1
1 memorial
J. F. Bury

J. F. Bury

Resident of Golders Green killed serving in WW2.

Person

War dead, WW2
1 memorial