Person    | Male  Born 1924  Died 24/2/1944

Our colleague Andrew Behan has kindly researched this man: Aircraftman 2nd Class Phillip Henry Fricker was born in 1924 in Wandsworth, the son of Alfred William Fricker and Gertrude Sommervile Fricker née Thomas. His father was a Shop Assistant, Oil & Colour Stores according the 1911 census. By 1926 the family were recorded on electoral registers as living at 41 Sistova Road, London, SW12 and the registers from 1929 to 1933 show that they had moved to 46 Elmfield Road, London, SW17 and from 1936 they had once again moved to 16 Hosack Road, London, SW17. He joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, service number 1809869, and was attached to No.1 Squadron which from July 1942 was based at RAF Acklington, Northumberland. According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website he died, aged 19 years, on 24 February 1944. I have been unable to ascertain the circumstances of his death or location, but probate records for his father state that Alfred William Fricker of 16 Hosack Road, Balham, was last seen alive on 24 February 1944 and his body was found on 25 February 1944. Probate was granted to his bank and widow. It would seem a coincidence that his father died on the same day as his own death, so I believe it is probable that they were both killed as a result of enemy action at the same location. He was cremated at the South London Crematorium located within Streatham Park Cemetery, Rowan Road, London, SW16 5JG and is commemorated there on Panel 25 on the screen wall of the War Memorial.

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