Name
Philip Samuel Marriott (DFM)
Conflict
Second World War
Date of Death / Age
11/03/1943
27
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Flight Lieutenant
119348
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Distinguished Flying Medal
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
DUXFORD CEMETERY
S.E. Sec. Grave 3.
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
"BE THOU FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH AND I WILL GIVE THEE A CROWN OF LIFE"
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Boys’ Grammar School Memorial (WW2)
Biography
He attended the Hitchin Grammar School for eighteen months in 1927-1928, having arrived from Stevenage Elementary School and leaving when his parents, Samuel Hugh and Emily Marriott, moved to Duxford in Cambridgeshire. His father became the local butcher there. Philip then attended Soham Grammar School. The family had previously lived at Pound Farm, Letchmore Road, Stevenage.
Even as a child he was keenly interested in flying and used to spend many hours watching aircraft taking off and landing at Duxford. He volunteered for the RAF. at the beginning of the war and with Service Number 119348 took part in many operational flights as a bomber pilot. At one time he was in the same flight as John Welch.
His D.F.M was awarded while serving in 115 Squadron and he may have been serving in this same Squadron at the time of his death, when the Squadron was flying Lancaster IIs from East Wretharn which is between Cambridge and Norwich.
According to the RAF. records, at the time of his death he was in 15 Operational Training Unit based at Harwell in Berkshire. He was the pilot of Wellington X3874 which crashed half a mile east of Didcot Police Station in Berkshire. The crew were undertaking a practice dual familiarisation flight when the aircraft stalled and crashed. There were no survivors.
He was buried in Grave 3, Southeast Extension in St. Peter's Church, Duxford, Cambridgeshire. An inscription on the gravestone reads "Be Thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life".
His wife was in the W.A.A.F. and they were married in July 1941. Her first names were Joan Mary Humble and their home was in High St. Duxford. His parents were Samuel Hugh and Emily Marriott.
Acknowledgments
David C Baines – ‘Hitchin’s Century of Sacrifice’, Hitchin Grammar School Chronicle, Hitchin Grammar School Registers, Ministry of Defence -A.H.B. (R.A.F.), Mr Ron Skeates - a friend of long ago, Paul Johnson - local historian, ‘Bomber Command Losses’ by W.R. Chorley, Herts & Beds Express dated 20th Mar 1943
