John Forster Withy was born on 25 October 1911 in West Hartlepool, Durham, the younger child of Henry Daubeny Withy (1882-1914) and Emily Edith Withy née Wilson (1879-1932). His birth was registered in the 4th quarter of 1911 in the Hartlepool registration district, Durham.
Electoral registers in 1933 show both him and his brother, Henry Forester Withy (1910-1943), listed at 10 Malvern Court, London, SW7.
On 26 April 1933 he married Diana Sarah Spencer (1913-1999) at Holy Trinity Church, Brompton Road, London, SW7, where in the marriage register he is described as aged 21 years, a bachelor and a gentleman living at 10 Malvern Court, London, SW7 giving his father's occupation as an engineer. His wife was recorded as aged 20 years, a spinster residing at 'The Cottage', Station Avenue, West Byfleet, Surrey, the daughter of Herbert Eames Spencer whose occupation was listed as Passport Control, Foreign Office.
On 26 May 1933 both he and his wife are shown arriving in Southampton, Hampshire, aboard the S.S. Orford of the Orient Steam Navigation Co. Ltd. line having embarked at Venice, Italy, The ship's manifest states that they travelled 1st class, giving their home address as 10 Malvern Court, London, SW7 and that he had no occupation.
Electoral registers from 1935 list him and his wife at Great Halfpenny, Halfpenny Lane, Guildford, Surrey. In the 1939 England and Wales Register he is shown as a Lloyd's underwriter, living at Great Halfpenny, Chilworth, Guildford, Surrey, with his wife who was listed as a Guildford part-time ambulance driver, together with a married couple who were their cook and parlour-man.
It would appear that he and his wife were divorced as in the 4th quarter of 1941 he married Amanda Shotter née Fryer in the Paddington registration district.
He joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, service number 114441 and the London Gazette shows that he was appointed as a Pilot Officer on the 4 November 1941. On 16 July 1942 he was aged 30 years and a trainee pilot aboard a Handley Page Halifax MkII Bomber aeroplane, serial number BB203, which according to the UK, World War II Index to Allied Airmen Roll of Honour 1939-1945, crashed at Cornborough Farm, near Sheriff Hutton, Yorkshire, when control was lost due to rudder stall while on the approach to RAF East Moor, killing all five service personnel.
His body was buried in Row T, Grave 10, in the churchyard at All Saints Church, Cherry Tree Avenue, Newton-on-Ouse, York, YO30 2BN. Probate records show his address to have been Five Oaks, Goodley Stock, Westerham, Kent and that when administration of his estate was granted on 10 March 1944 to his widow, Amanda Withy, his estate totalled £51,810-19s-0d.
He is shown as Withy, John Forster on the Lloyd's of London WW2 memorial and is also commemorated on Panel 268 at the International Bomber Command Centre, Canwick Avenue, Lincoln, LN4 2HQ, on the Royal Air Force Commands website and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
