Private George F Jones

Private George Frederick Jones was the son of Mr and Mrs Jones, and husband of E M Jones, of Broad Clyst, Devon. He served with 7th (Airborne) Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers.

In early 1944, numerous training exercises were being undertaken in preparation for the Allied invasion of north-west Europe that year. On 4 April 1944, 1 HGSU, Horsa I LG999 took part in a large glider exercise (codenamed Exercise Dreme) towed by Stirling IV LJ842 of No 196 Squadron. The glider occupants were two glider pilots and members of No.3 Platoon A Company, 7th (Airborne) Battalion, The King's Own Scottish Borderers.

As the towing aircraft descended through cloud, it hit a tree and 15 minutes later stalled, possibly due a failure of the port outer engine, and crashed. All 27 men onboard Horsa LG999 were killed, including Private George Frederick Jones, a glider troop passenger.

Private Jones died on 4 April 1944, aged 34 years old. He is now buried at Durrington Cemetery, Wiltshire.

Headstone photograph courtesy of Major James Brudenell.