LG K02

In Ever Loving Memory of

Our Dear Son

Sgt. Harry S Steel

Killed on active service April 23rd 1944

Aged 20 years

“He had a nature you could not help loving

A heart that was purer than gold

And to ? those who loved and lost

His memory will never grow old”

Also of his Father

Montague

Who died 13th October 1965

Aged 72 years

Loved and remembered

And his wife

Gundrada Theresa Steel "Dray"

Who Died 17th March 2005

Aged 92 years

“Rest in Peace”

Harry was born 13 Jul 1923.  His father, Montague Steel was married twice, first to  Lucy Georgina Lavender, 1900 – 1933, Harry’s mother, and then Gundreda Wornham, 1912 - 2005

Hastings and St Leonards Observer - Saturday 08 January 1944

Halifax LV916 near Sutton upon Derwent:

During the afternoon of 23rd April 1944 the crew of this 78 Squadron aircraft took off from Breighton airfield for the crew to undertake a training flight.

By 15.58hrs the aircraft had reached 2,000 feet and passed close behind another Halifax.

The aircraft then entered a  near vertical dive, with there being limited height to regain control, the pilot had managed to get the aircraft to roughly a fifty  five degree angle when it struck the ground just south of the village of Sutton upon Derwent.,

Sadly all but the rear gunner were killed in the crash. Six of the crew were killed as a result of the accident including .Sgt. Stanley Nelson Steel Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 78 ...

There were two theories as to what had happened.  One was that the slipstream of passing close to the other aircraft had effected this one causing a loss of control but this was then partly dismissed in favour of a fault with the aircraft's auto pilot.  

Hastings and St Leonards Observer - Saturday 29 April 1944

Airman’s Death. The sad news has been received by Mr. and Mrs. M. Steel, of 31, The Broadway, Ore, that their son. Sergeant Harry Steel, R.A.F.. was killed on active service in April, Sergeant Steel was aged 20, and had been in the R.A.F. for nearly three years.  He had been on several operational flights.  

Previous to joining the R.A.F., he had worked at Mill Farm, Fairlight, and was well known in the Ore district. He was an old boy of Clive Vale School.  He had recently had a reunion with his brother. Corporal W. Steel, who had served for seven years in Malta.

The funeral will take place to-day (Saturday) at the Hastings Borough Cemetery, preceded by a service at Red Lake Congregational Church.

Red Lake Congregational Church was in Ore and closed in 1973. Founded in 1903 and built by important local architect Henry Ward, the building survived until its demolition in 1980.]

Harry is also remembered on the Screen Wall