GEORGE FENN
images and information courtesy of Mike Fenn taken from his work ‘Fenn Family History.’
Born: 26th May 1911, 72, St. Matthew’s Street, Ipswich.
Baptised: 29th June 1911, at St. Matthew’s Church, Ipswich.
Died: 25th May 1944; age: 32; Killed when aircraft crashed into a hill 30 miles east of Tunis. Death instantaneous.
Family notified by telegram on the 2nd June 1944.
Employed in the secretarial capacity on the editorial staff of the East Anglian Daily Times. Later George became their circulation representative. Travelling throughout Essex and Suffolk, and parts of Cambridgeshire and Norfolk.
Enlistment Details: Location: Felixstowe; Date: 13th June 1939. Signed up for 5 years service in the R.A.F.
George had been rejected by the Territorial Army for deficient eyesight.
Served at R.A.F. Martlesham – October 1939 – April 1940, and then on to R.A.F. Croydon.
Sailed to Sicily June/July 1943. Disembarked at Augusta on the 19th July 1943. Nine days after the start of the invasion of Sicily.
In early December 1943, George was admitted to hospital with yellow jaundice and a touch of malaria. He had hoped to return home to celebrate Christmas. Instead he celebrated with his fellow colleagues of 335 Wing Satellite Sector in Sicily.
Rank: Corporal; Service Number: 752086.
Regiment: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. 335 Wing Satellite Sector.
Buried: 30th May 1944. Funeral at 15:00hrs, conducted by Rev. Squadron Leader J.S. Rearey, of No. 287 Wing Headquarters.
Grave Reference:
VI.N.4.
Bizerta,
Tunisia.
Relatives Notified & address: Son of Thomas Saul Fenn & Nellie Caroline Fenn, of Ipswich; husband of Mollie Gwendoline Fenn of Woodbridge, Suffolk.
Father: Thomas Saul Fenn, born 1883, 5, Norwich Road, Ipswich.
Mother: Nellie Caroline Fenn (nee Garnham), born March 1886, 55, New Cardinal Street, Ipswich.
George attended Ipswich School – 1923 – 1928.
On Monday, 29th April 1940, at St. Margaret’s Church, Ipswich, George married Mollie Gwendoline Clark, born April 1919, 103, Lacey Street, Ipswich.
They had 1 son.
Evening Star – 30th April 1940.
The wedding of Mr. George Fenn, elder son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Saul Fenn, of 20, Woodstone Avenue, Ipswich, and Miss Mollie Gwendoline Clark, eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. Francis Clark, of 185, Sidegate Lane, Ipswich. took place at St. Margaret’s Church, Ipswich, on Monday.
Mr. Fenn, who is at present in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, was formerly circulation manager with the East Anglian Daily Times and Ipswich “Evening Star,” and was a popular hon. secretary of the tennis section of the firm’s sports club. A keen sportsman, he was also a member of the Ipswich Y.M.C.A. Badminton Club, and Old Grammarians’ Football Club. The bride was a member of the Y.M.C.A. Badminton Club, and she was on the Committee of Christchurch Works Tennis Club.
The service was conducted by the Rev. T. Batterby (Vicar of St. Margaret’s), and the bride, who was given away by her father, wore a moire silk taffeta gown and train, with head-dress smocked with silver, a veil of tulle, and white and silver shoes. She carried a bouquet of pink roses, and wore a necklace of pearls. She was attended by four bridesmaids, her sisters, Misses Betty, Pat and Joy Clark, and the bridegroom’s cousin, Miss Molly Chamberlain. They were attired in dresses of lilac pink watersilk, and halos of silver lame, and silver shoes, and their silver bracelets were the gifts of the bridegroom. They had posies of pink and white carnations.
The organist, Mr. A.V. Kitching, F.R.C.O., L.R.A.M., played the Bridal March from “Lohengrin” and Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March,” and accompanied the singing of the hymns “Love Divine, all loves excelling,” and “O Perfect Love,” and Psalm XXIII, “The Lord is my Shepherd.” Mr. E. Garrood was the best man, and Mr. R.F. Clark (brother of the bride) performed the duties of usher.
A reception was held at the Royal George Hotel, Ipswich, and Mr. and Mrs. Fenn later left for a honeymoon at Brighton, the bride travelling in a pink crepe-de-chine frock and brown edge-to-edge coat trimmed with velvet, with hat and accessories to tone.
Among the many gifts were those from the bride’s colleagues at Swears and Wells, Ltd., from the East Anglian Daily Times, and R.A.F. comrades of the bridegroom.
Probate to Thomas Saul Fenn – father, a retired Licensed Victualler.
25th May 1944
George was serving with the 355 Wing Satellite Sector, as a Clerk. On the 25th May 1944, he was a passenger on the Marauder aircraft, serial number MB515, that took off at 08:45hrs from Maison Blanche airfield, Algeria en route to Catania. At an estimated 10:50hrs the aircraft flew into the side of a hill where it disintegrated and caught fire. The crashed aircraft was found burnt out on the 28th May 1944, 10kms north of Takelea, Cap Bon, Tunisia. The bodies of the 4 crew members and 2 passengers were found near the aircraft. George was identified by personal papers.
CREW:
Jack Sydney Jarrett; Warrant Officer/Pilot: age 22; R.A.F.
Alfred George; Sergeant/2nd Pilot; age: 20; R.A.F.V.R.
Ian Hickman Dick; Warrant Officer/Observer; age: 25; R.A.F.V.R.
Romley Thomas Jenkins D.F.M.; Pilot Officer/ Wireless Operator/Air Gunner; age: 24; R.A.F.V.R.
Passenger:
Harry Rand Harmer; Air Sergeant; age 48; S.A.A.F.
George’s widow Mollie & son were living at the Red Lion, Woodbridge, Suffolk when the telegram arrived reporting the death of her husband. The telegram had been wrongly addressed to -Mrs Fenn 35 Edwin Avenue, Woodbridge and so my Mollie hoped at first that her husband had not been killed.
The letter that later followed read: Deeply regret to inform you that your husband No. 252086 Corporal Fenn G is reported to have lost his life as the result of an aircraft accident on 25 May The Air Council express their profound sympathy.
On the 9th June 1944, Mollie received a letter ” your husband was a passenger in a Marauder aircraft which set out from Maison Blanche on a flight to Catania and crashed into a hill approximately 30 miles east of Tunis.”
A memorial service was held for George at St. Margaret’s Church, Ipswich, on the 9th June 1944. The Rev. T. Batterby conducted the service.
George with his father, Thomas Saul Fenn & Grandfather, George Fenn – 1914.
George with his mother, Nellie & brother Thomas – 1916
George attended Ipswich School.
George in his Ipswich School uniform 1924.
George with his Aunt Margaret (Flint) – 1928
George with his family at Felixstowe – 1928.
In 1940, Ipswich, George married Mollie Gwendoline Clark, born April 1919, Ipswich. They had 1 son.
George & Mollie on their Wedding Day – 29th April 1940
a sketch from 1943
George is also remembered on the Ipswich School Chapel war memorial.
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