Name
Colin Roy Izzard (DFC)
Conflict
Second World War
Date of Death / Age
24/02/1947
29
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Flying Officer
157641
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Distinguished Flying Cross
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
EASEBOURNE (ST. MARY) NEW CHURCHYARD
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St. Saviour's Church Memorial, Hitchin, Hitchin Roll of Honour 1939 – 1945 (Book) St Mary’s Church, Hitchin
Biography
He was born in Hitchin in 1917 and attended Wilshere Dacre School. He was a keen footballer in Hitchin Rangers and Hitchin Town Football Clubs. Prior to being called up he was a member of the Metropolitan Police. He enlisted in 1941 and was commissioned in 1943 and allocated the Service Number 157641.
He was posted to 578 Squadron which was formed in January 1944 at Snaith (Pollington) Yorkshire from ‘C’ Flight of 51 Squadron and moved to Burn in Yorkshire on the 6th February 1944. It remained there until disbanded on the 15th April 1945. He flew in Halifax III bombers and was awarded the D.F.C. in 1944 for "skill, fortitude and devotion to duty in many successful operations against the enemy". The CWGC states that he was an Air Bomber.
At the time of his death he was in l Personnel Holding Unit based in lnnsworth. He was admitted to the King Edward VII Sanatorium, Midhurst on the 19th February 1947 and died of tubercular laryngitis and enteritis.
He is buried in Easebourne St. Mary New Churchyard near Midhurst in Sussex in Grave 112.
At the end of the Second World War, a number of peace treaties were signed over a period of time. A Supplemental Charter was granted to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission whereby the 31st December 1947 was the final date for the purpose of commemorating Commonwealth war casualties of the Second World War. Hence his commemoration on the Hitchin War Memorial.
His wife was Cecilia Izzard, and his parents were Roland and Caroline Izzard. His home was at 22, King's Rd, Hitchin.
Acknowledgments
David C Baines – ‘Hitchin’s Century of Sacrifice’, Ministry of Defence - A.H.B.3 (R.A.F.), Mr D. Moore - Secretary Aircrew Assn (North Herts Branch), ‘The War in the Channel Islands - then & now’ by W. G. Ramsey, Herts and Beds Express dated 27th May 1944
