In Memory of
RONALD ALEC MOODEY
Born: 8th November 1911 Margate, Kent.
2nd youngest of 6 children born to Charles & Sarah Moodey of 99 The Causeway, Steventon.
Husband to Evelyne Beryl (Woraker)
Pre-war occupation: Carpenter
1317395 Sergeant (Air Bomber) Ronald Alec Moodey
166 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Died: 26th November 1943 aged 32
Killed in Action over German held Belgium
REMEMBERED WITH HONOUR:
Hotton War Cemetery
Arrondissement de Marche-en-Famenne, Belgium.
Grave VIII. E.1.
COMMEMORATED IN PERPETUITY BY THE
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Ronald Moodey’s oldest brother had served in the Royal Flying Corps in WW1. Ronald enlisted to the RAF, in Oxford after Nov 1940. Sergeant Moodey became an Air Bomber for 166 Squadron, Bomber Command and was based at Kirmington, Lincolnshire. On the night of 26 November 1943 his Avro Lancaster B1 (Serial No. DV365 (UL-Z2)) aircraft took off from Elsham Wolds, Lincs. for a night raid on Berlin. He was on board with Sgt Robert Walter Ball, Flt Sgt Arthur Wilfred Cooper, Sgt Arthur Leslie Green, Sgt Christopher Lister and Sgt. G. W. Meadows. Their aircraft was attacked head-on over France by a German night-fighter, damaging the aircraft, wounding the rear gunner and putting the mid-upper gun turret temporarily out of action. Attacked a second time, a cannon shell burst in the cockpit putting the elevators out of action and making the aircraft uncontrollable. Their Bombs were jettisoned and the Captain gave the order to abandon.... but then regained control and withdrew the order, by which time the Bomb Aimer - Sgt. Moodey had already left the aircraft. The Captain turned for home but was attacked between 10 and 12 times more before getting clear of the fighters. The rear gunner, Sgt. Meadows carried on firing his guns throughout, despite his injures. The Lancaster landed badly damaged at Ford airfield in West Sussex. The rear gunner was severely wounded and the wireless operator, navigator and mid-upper gunner slightly wounded. Sgt Moodey was lost over enemy territory, the only flight member to lose his life that night. It is unknown how he died after bailing out of the aircraft, but he is buried in Belgium at the Hotton War Cemetery.
The aircraft, along with the remaining crew survived that night..... only to be lost six months later, after being shot down over Holland on a night bombing raid to Duisburg on 22 May 1944.
Source: https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/116467/
The British Expeditionary Force was involved in the later stages of the defence of Belgium following the German invasion in May 1940, and suffered many casualties in covering the withdrawal to Dunkirk. Commonwealth forces did not return to Belgium until September 1944, but in the intervening years, many airmen were shot down or crashed in raids on strategic objectives in Belgium, or while returning from missions over Germany.
In 1929, at the age of 17, Ronald took a 3-year trip to Australia. He returned in 1932 to live with his parents at Stevens Farm, The Causeway, Steventon. Ronald's parents had moved there, from Kent, in 1930. At some point in the '30's Stevens Farm was split into two dwellings and renamed 99 and 101. In the Register of 1939 the Moodey's are running the Grocery store at No. 99, staying there until at least 1951.
Ronald married Evelyn Woraker at Steventon Church in 1935 and they lived in the Maisonettes in Hanney Road until moving to the original old dwelling at 12 Pugsden Lane in 1939. At Ronald's death in 1943 he is recorded as living in Craigmillar, Edinburgh. Ronald's widow Evelyn appears on the Edinburgh 1945 electoral role as living at 43 Tron Square, Edingburgh. Also living at that address is Alexander Murray Howison who goes on to marry Evelyn and they emigrate to Australia, where they both end their days in Bundaberg, Queensland. 1998 (Alexander) and 2007 (Evelyne).
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