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Sergeant Robert Sydney HAMILTON-FOX (1270391)
7 Squadron Royal Air Force (Pathfinders) Date of birth: 17th March 1921 Date of death: 9th April 1943 Killed in action aged 22 Commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial Panel 152
Robert Sydney Hamilton-Fox was born at Uckfield, Sussex on the 17th of March 1921 the only son of Leonard Amos Hamilton-Fox, a farmer and estate agent, and Rosa Gertrude (nee Green) Hamilton-Fox of "The Covert", Warden Point on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent. He was educated at Lancing College where he was in Gibbs House from September 1934 to July 1939. He gained his School Certificate in July 1938. He served as a Lance Corporal in the Officer Training Corps and achieved Certificate A in March 1939. He was appointed as a House Captain in September 1938. He enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve where he trained as an air bomber and rose to the rank of Sergeant. After training, he and his crew were posted to 7 Squadron in early 1943. On the 8th of April 1943 392 aircraft were despatched for a raid on Duisburg. A large number of bombers were forced to turn back because of the weather but a force of 97 Wellingtons, 73 Halifaxes, 56 Stirlings and 10 Mosquitos reached Duisburg to find thick cloud, billowing up to 22,000 feet and covering the target area. Due to this cloud the Pathfinders were forced to mark the target by estimating the position of the target area which became evident from the amount of heavy anti aircraft fire which greeted the bomber stream as they approached the city. The target markers which were dropped disappeared through the thick cloud and as a result the bombing was widespread and inaccurate, causing only moderate damage to the city and some damage to surrounding towns. Robert Hamilton-Fox and his crew took off from RAF Oakington at 9.19 pm in Stirling Mk 1 R9199 MG-F to act as Pathfinders for the operation. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after takeoff and it was lost without trace. The crew was:- Pilot Officer Guy Maurice Marie Legarrigue De Meillac (2nd Pilot) Sergeant Gerald Mortimer Boardman (Flight Engineer) Flying Officer Alan Hamilton Jackson RCAF (Navigator) Sergeant Robert Sydney Hamilton-Fox (Air Bomber/Front Gunner) Sergeant Vivian Walters (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner) Sergeant Ralph Wilson (Mid Upper Gunner) Flight Sergeant George Claremont Gale RCAF (Rear Gunner) Flight Lieutenant Leonard James Stewart RCAF (Pilot) Theirs was one of nineteen aircraft which failed to return from the operation.

Gibbs House