Group Captain Walter Myers Churchill, DSO, DFC, was born on 27 November 1907 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, the eldest of the four children of William John Algernon Churchill (1865-1947) and Hannah Violet Churchill née Myers ((1875-1943).
Our Picture source and his Wikipedia page give much information about this man.
Electoral registers in 1931-1932 list him living with his parents at Worfield House, Worcester Road, Great Malvern, Worcestershire. Whilst still a student, he obtained his Royal Aero Club Aviators Certificate on 17 August 1931 at the Midland Aero Club flying a de Havilland DH.60 Moth 80/85 hp Cirrus aeroplane. He was commissioned as a pilot officer in the Auxiliary Air Force, service number 90241, on 11 January 1932 and was appointed to No.605 (County of Warwick) Squadron.
On 13 June 1934 he married Joyce Hartley (1908-1989) in the Upton registration district, Worcestershire, and they had two children, Wynne J. Churchill (b.1935) and James L. Churchill (b.1938).
He was killed, aged 34 years, on 27 August 1942 when his Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vb, serial number EP339, was hit by anti aircraft fire whilst he was attacking a Junkers Ju 88 aeroplane that was on the ground at Biscari aerodrome, Sicily. Initially he was buried nearby but in in 1943 he body was exhumed and reburied in Plot 5, Row D, Grave 3 in the Syracuse War Cemetery, Viale Ermocrate, 119, 96100 Siracusa SR, Italy.
Probate records confirm that his home address had been 14 Guys Cliffe Avenue, Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire and that when probate was granted to his widow on 20 November 1943 his effects totalled £11,883-15s-11d.
He is also commemorated on the Battle of Britain London Monument, and in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
