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Leading Aircraftman James Maxfield (1305565) of 107 Beach Flight was No. 4 R.A.F. Beach Squadron’s only fatal casualty. He died in Normandy on 15th June 1944, aged 22. John Fenton saved a cutting from the Sunday Pictorial, dated 23rd July 1944. |
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The full text of the caption reads: ‘Squadron Leader L. T. Taylor (correctly, L. A. Taylor) pays the last tribute to a comrade, L.A.C. Maxfield, who met the fate that might have overwhelmed them both. They were digging a trench on the beach-head when the squadron-leader was called away. A minute later Maxfield’s pick struck a mine - on the site where they had been living for fourteen days. The squadron-leader wrote to Maxfield’s mother and told her the sad story. “May God bless you and your men and bring you home to your loved ones,” she wrote in reply - and she asked for a picture of her son’s grave that she might treasure it for ever. Here it is - taken by Bill Turner, “Sunday Pictorial” photographer in Normandy. A copy is being sent to Mrs Maxfield at her home in Herries-avenue, Southey, Sheffield.’ The graveyard pictured was at Ver-sur-Mer but later, Bayeux War Cemetery was established and that became James Maxfield’s permanent resting place (Grave Reference XV.D.1.) |
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Copyright © J.M.Fenton, 2007-2010 |
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