Sergeant - Air Gnr 2209639 Jacky Ratcliffe

Family details:
Son of James and May Ratcliffe, of Billinge, Lancashire.

Census details:
1939 Register. Unfortunately Jacky and two other members of the household are redacted. Father James Ratcliffe born 21/10/1901 a Colliery Hewer, mother May Ratcliffe born 11/04/1906 an Unpaid Domestic and brother James Ratcliffe born 24/12/1931 At School are living at 45 Rainford Road, Billinge.

Jack was born on the 10th of December 1923 the son of James and May Ratcliffe (nee Parr) of 17 Beacon Lane, Billinge, and was baptised on the 11th of January 1924 at Chapel End Wesleyan Methodist Church, Billinge.Jack was the eldest of seven children, five boys and two girls. The family moved to 45 Rainford Road and before being called up in 1942 Jack worked as second man on a lorry for Robinsons Transport, Red Cat, Crank. He joined the Royal Air Force, Bomber Command and was in the 57 th Squadron stationed at East Kirkby, Lincolnshire.Jack was an air gunner in a Lancaster Bomber (top gun position) and was reported missingand later killed in action. His plane was shot down after a raid over Wesseling, Germany onThursday the 22nd of June 1944. Only one member of the crew survived after bailing out and the plane crashed in the Netherlands. Jack was only 19 years of age.He is buried in Bergan-Op-Zoom War Cemetery, Netherlands, collective grave 24.A.1.His parents received his medals: Air Crew Europe Star 1939-1945 Star 1939-1945 War Medal. Jack's name is recorded on St. Aidan's C.E. Church and the Methodist Church Memorials. Sources: Sister, St. Helens Local History Library, Index of airmen killed in the Second World War, The Commonwealth War Graves Commission, St. Aidan's Parish Magazine,September 1944, Wesleyan Methodist Church Registers. [url=http://sthelens-connect.net/sitefiles/billinge-history.pdf]Information Courtesy of The Billinge History Society[/url] [pic]imgs/WW2_headstones/2209639JackyRatcliffe_1.jpg[/pic][caption]The headstone of Sergeant - Air Gnr Jacky Ratcliffe at Bergen-Op-Zoom War Cemetery Photograph Courtesy of [url=http://www.warcemeteries.nl/index.html]Marcel Boven[/url][/caption]