To Visit a Grave

In my blip of 1st October here you saw the crash site of the Fairey Battle.

I mentioned that the two aircrew were:- Stanislaw OSMALA (pilot)
and Arthur SHARP

Stanislaw was buried at St. Patrick's Church, Jurby, Isle of Man. Here is a picture of his grave. I was cycling out that way this morning. It was about 7.30am. Whilst it was an overcast morning generally all of a sudden the sun appeared and by cycling at top speed I was (just about) able to get this shot before the sun disappeared.

Arthur SHARP is a bit of a mystery because I cannot find his grave. It is not at either Jurby or Andreas Church where it might be expected to be. Arthur is recorded however on the Commonwealth War Graves Runnymede Memorial on 1st October 1940 on panel 290.

There is a further mystery in that Johnny Crellin (who arrived first at the crash site) recalls the airman in the back of cockpit as wearing an RAF uniform with a New Zealand shoulder flash.