Father: George Firby, Mother Annie Ed. Bradford Moor, Ansons Secondary School m. 3 Jan 1944 Doris [Watmough] S.R.N. prev. a Haulage Contractor (Own business) prev. exp. 57 hrs on Gipsy Moth Address in 1941: 4 Dundas St., Bradford Postings: 7FPP, 6FPP Jan-42: Suspended without pay for 7 days and promotion deferred for 3 months for being "AWOL at Christmas 1941 & submitting a false report." "A hard working and safe pilot, but who is inclined to be irresponsible."
d. 5 Feb 1944 (Died in ATA Service) in Avro Anson W4945 which disintegrated in the air, crashed between Newsham Hall and Walkers Farm, Winston, Darlington and was destroyed. "Investigations showed that the starboard aileron was struck in flight by a fast moving metal object such as the propeller of another aircraft. This caused dislocation of aileron hinges & subsequent disintegration of the starboard wing. In this connection two Spitfires were observed manoeuvering around the Anson just before the crash. One was reported to have descended and circled the wreckage after the crash." See also http://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/yorkshire/york43/fr172.html Buried at Undercliffe Cemetery, Bradford He had only been married 33 days and hadn't informed the ATA, which meant that the insurance money of £2,000 was paid to his nominated next-of-kin, his mother Annie. She agreed to pass on £675 to his widow Doris, who also inherited Geoffrey's estate of £201. A daughter Christine was born in March 1944 but died shortly afterwards.
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1938
ATA
