Martha BRIGHTWELL
Aged 75
Civilian War Dead
Died on Thursday, 10th April 1941
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Martha was born Martha BARTON on 16th September 1865 in Beck Row (Mildenhall Q4-1865 4A:456) and married Harry BRIGHTWELL in 1888. In 1891 they were at 41 High Street, Beck Row, Harry was a carpenter/builder. They had two sons, Charles [2] and John [5 months] In 1901 they were at The Street, Beck Row, with sons Charles H and John, Arthur [8], Robert [3] and Baden V [9 months] and daughters Florence [6] and Mary A [3]. All were registered born in Mildenhall. In 1911, still in Beck Row, the family at home was Martha and Harry, Charles and Arthur(farm labourers), Mary Ann and Robert and Henry V [6] and Evelyn [3]. Baden V. had died in 1902. Harry Brightwell died in 1935. Florence married Jesse EDWARDS in Uxbridge in 1921. Martha was at Holsey Green, Beck Row for the 1939 register |
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Martha died when a Wellington aircraft took off from RAF Mildenhall on air test, clipped a tree and crashed into her cottage at Holmsley Green, Beck Row, at the edge of
the aerodrome. This charred photo of Martha was the only one of her possessions relatives found in the debris. The plane was a Mk 1c Vickers Wellington, serial no R1181, call sign OJ-W of 149 Squadron, piloted by P/O J Fisher. Two of the crew were killed, Sgt John Moseley (RAF) and Sgt Robert Uhrig (RAAF). Surprisingly a photograph of the actual aricraft has been found...below
also commemorated on the Beck Row war memorial click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
