EDWIN ELLIS BLOFIELD
Born: 1914, Ipswich.
Died on or since: 7th February 1941; age: 26; killed when aircraft shot down over Adi Ugri.
Residence: 139, Back Hamlet, Ipswich.
Rank: Sergeant/Pilot; Service Number: 564554.
Regiment: Royal Air Force, 47 Squadron.
Aircraft: Vickers Wellesley
Originally buried with the body of John Davies at Adi Ugri, in a Collective Grave with the two crewmen of K8525. On the 16th July 1943, the four bodies were exhumed and re-buried in Collective Grave at Asmara.
Grave Reference:
Coll. Grave 3.A.7-8
Asmara,
Maekel,
Eritrea,
East Africa.
Relatives Notified & Address: Son of Albert Edward & Edith Exley Blofield, of Ipswich.
Father: Albert Edward Blofield, born September 1877, Ipswich.
Mother: Edith Blofield (nee Exley), born November 1884, Dewsbury, Yorkshire.
Probate to Albert Edward Blofield – father, a Commercial Clerk.
Edwin is also remembered on the war memorial at Holy Trinity Church, Ipswich.
7th February 1941
Aircraft: Vickers Wellesley I; Serial Number: K7759; Code: KU-. The aircraft took off in the morning, at Barentu, in the heart of Kunama territory, for reconnaissance of Adi Ugri Road (now named Mendefera). The aircraft was shot down in flames by the Italian crew of Capitano Mario Visintini & Sergente Soffritti, who had earlier claimed a R.A.F. Wellesley, K8525.
Fellow crew:
John Herbert Davis; Sergeant/Observer; age 27; R.A.F.
Leonard Bird; Air Gunner; R.A.F. survived – PoW.
Leonard had made a successful parachute descent from the burning aircraft. He was taken a prisoner by the Italians. Leonard was released after the British occupation of Abyssinia (Ethiopia), and returned to flying duties in June 1942. Serving with the 218 Gold Coast Squadron Leonard was later awarded the D.F.M. for shooting down an enemy night fighter – gazetted 20th April 1943.
K8525 crew:
Ernest John Bainbridge; Pilot Officer/ Observer; age 31; R.A.F.V.R.
Arthur Harold Paine: Sergeant/Wireless Operator; age 20; R.A.F.
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