Sergeant 1132896 Philip Geoffrey Higham

Family details:
Son of John Joseph Higham, and of Florence Brigham Higham, of Billinge, Lancashire

Census details:
1939 Register. Unfortunately Philip Geoffrey and brother Bernard Ralph are redacted. Father John J Higham born 22/01/1889 a Dentist, mother Florence B Higham born 27/10/1886 an Unpaid Domestic and siblings John A Higham born 24/09/1913 a Radio Engineer, Margaret A Bews (Higham) born 12/03/1915 a School Teacher and Paul A Higham born 09/10/1928 At School are living at 160 Boundary Road, St Helens.

Notes:
[note=168]Two Higham Brothers who died in World War Two[/note] [url=lmem.php?lmem=39]Remembered On The St. Aidan's C of E Church Memorial[/url] [url=lmem.php?lmem=26]Also Remembered on the West Park Old Boys Memorial[/url]

Sergeant 1132896 104 Squadron Bomber Command Royal Air Force (Volunteer Reserve) . Philip was born on the 18th of July 1922 the son of John Joseph and Florence Brigham Higham (nee Bowes) of 160 Boundry Road, St. Helens, and was baptised on the 23rd of July 1922 at Sacred Heart R.C. Church, St. Helens. John Joseph was a dentist. Philip went to West Park R.C. Grammar School, and the family moved to Billinge shortly before the was living at Little Houghwood in Red Barn Lane. Philip served in 104 Squadron which flew Wellington Bombers, and early in 1942 most of the squadron was posted to the Middle East. He was reported missing and later killed in a raid on Italy on Saturday the 30th of October 1943, he was 21 years of age and is buried in the Bolsena War Cemetery, Italy, collective grave 1.B.7.His brother [ww2cas=188]Bernard Ralph Higham[/ww2cas] who was in the Glider Pilot Regiment was killed about a year later. His name is recorded on the West Park Old Boys Memorial (now situated in the De La Salle High School, St. Helens), St. Aidan's C.E. Church Memorial, St. Helens Cenotaph and on the family grave headstone in St. Mary's R.C. Churchyard, grave 1/1D. Sources:- St. Helens Local History Library, Index of airmen killed in the Second World War; The Commonwealth War Graves Commission; Sacred Heart Church Registers; St. Mary's Church Notice Book, 29th of May 1944. [url=http://sthelens-connect.net/sitefiles/billinge-history.pdf]Information Courtesy of The Billinge History Society[/url] [pic]imgs/S1PWHYAOTV/HighamFamily.jpg[/pic] [pic]imgs/S1PWHYAOTV/HighamFamily2.jpg[/pic] [caption]A dedication to Sergeant Philip Geoffrey Higham at Birchley St.Mary's Churchyard (Photo courtesy of Jeff Keenan)[/caption]