Flt Sgt Ronald Arthur Gorton 1877467 RAFVR
Born 23 Jan 1916 at 23 Seaford Road, Tottenham, the twelfth child of Silas George Gorton, and Emily Elizabeth Gorton, formerly Hill.
He attended a school in Tottenham and was a bright boy. He was talented enough to go to the grammar school but instead left school to go to work to supplement the family income.
Little is known about his early life but we do know that after he left school he was a lorry driver for Golden Ray Cake, London N18 until he joined the Essex County Constabulary on 3rd January 1939. He was based at Grays and Corringham police stations. It was while he was based at Grays that he met Vera Elizabeth Anne Chaplin who became his wife. She was a dental nurse working in Grays and they met at the cinema.
They were married on 26th April 1941 at Grays Parish Church, Essex.
At the time of his marriage to Vera, Ronald (affectionately known as Tom) was aged 25, a Police Constable, living at Grays Police Station.
Little is known about his early life but we do know that after he left school he was a lorry driver for Golden Ray Cake, London N18 until he joined the Essex County Constabulary on 3rd January 1939. He was based at Grays and Corringham police stations. It was while he was based at Grays that he met Vera Elizabeth Anne Chaplin who became his wife. She was a dental nurse working in Grays and they met at the cinema.
They were married on 26th April 1941 at Grays Parish Church, Essex.
At the time of his marriage to Vera, Ronald (affectionately known as Tom) was aged 25, a Police Constable, living at Grays Police Station.
Ronald and Vera's wedding
He joined the Royal Air Force on 1st August 1943 and after training became a flight engineer at the rank of Sergeant. His RAF number was 1877467.
He was assigned to158 squadron based at Lissett, Yorkshire.
He was assigned to158 squadron based at Lissett, Yorkshire.
Flt/Sgt R A Gorton
His first active service was on the 4th November 1944 when their plane took off from Lissett, Yorkshire and was shot down over Wetten, Germany. The plane was hit by flack and exploded, he was blown out and he landed in a frozen field on a cold night. He broke his ankle and collar bone. "Tom" and mid upper gunner Ron Wood were the only survivors and they spent the remainder of the war as POWs.
This is part of a letter that Ron Wood wrote to Mr & Mrs Carrall (the pilot’s parents) after the war explaining the events of 4th November 1944…
……..The flack started to come a bit heavy, so “Nigel” called us up and said “They’re coming after us fellows, keep your fingers crossed”.
He started to weave, but it was no good, they had hit us in the starboard fuel tank and set us alight. “Nigel” gave the order to bail out, he said “OK fellows this is it, get out quick she will not stay in one piece for long”. That was the only words I heard, no one else said a thing, she then started to go into a dive, after a few seconds she blew up.
……Sgt Gorton and myself were blown out that is why we are still alive….
In later life “Tom” spoke about being treated by a doctor in a makeshift hospital where his ankle was poorly “set” after which he was taken as a POW to Stalag Luft III Sagan. (He was left with a permanent limp).
The winter of 1944 was very bad, the worst for fifty years, and as the Russian troops advanced towards the camp the prisoners collected what little belongings they had and prepared to leave. They didn’t know where they were going but it was to be a terrible journey.
Stories of the journeys to Moosburg is well documented in the book “The Last Escape” The untold story of Allied prisoners of war in Germany 1944-45 by John Nichol & Tony Rennell.
He was liberated form Moosburg at the end of the war, recalling that he remembered General Patton entering the camp with “his six guns blazing!"
……..The flack started to come a bit heavy, so “Nigel” called us up and said “They’re coming after us fellows, keep your fingers crossed”.
He started to weave, but it was no good, they had hit us in the starboard fuel tank and set us alight. “Nigel” gave the order to bail out, he said “OK fellows this is it, get out quick she will not stay in one piece for long”. That was the only words I heard, no one else said a thing, she then started to go into a dive, after a few seconds she blew up.
……Sgt Gorton and myself were blown out that is why we are still alive….
In later life “Tom” spoke about being treated by a doctor in a makeshift hospital where his ankle was poorly “set” after which he was taken as a POW to Stalag Luft III Sagan. (He was left with a permanent limp).
The winter of 1944 was very bad, the worst for fifty years, and as the Russian troops advanced towards the camp the prisoners collected what little belongings they had and prepared to leave. They didn’t know where they were going but it was to be a terrible journey.
Stories of the journeys to Moosburg is well documented in the book “The Last Escape” The untold story of Allied prisoners of war in Germany 1944-45 by John Nichol & Tony Rennell.
He was liberated form Moosburg at the end of the war, recalling that he remembered General Patton entering the camp with “his six guns blazing!"
When the war ended “Tom” returned home, he completed the POW questionnaire on 11th May 1945 and was released from the RAF on 9 Oct 1945.
He resigned from the Police Force on 9th February 1946 as he was unfit to continue as an active policeman. He then joined Shell UK at the Coryton Refinery and worked on the ammonia plant. He did shift work at the refinery and in his spare time worked on building sites digging footings for Hurst's Builders of Fobbing. He retired from Shell UK in 1970.
Vera and “Tom” had two daughters, Carol Georgina and Diane Lilian.
“Tom” was a hard working family man, and particularly enjoyed holidays with his family. He was a very disciplined person, and was always very generous.
He never spoke about his time as a prisoner of war – as many others didn’t, but his family are only now realizing what he must have gone through and we are all very proud of him.
We have recently obtained his WWII medals.
“Tom” was a hard working family man, and particularly enjoyed holidays with his family. He was a very disciplined person, and was always very generous.
He never spoke about his time as a prisoner of war – as many others didn’t, but his family are only now realizing what he must have gone through and we are all very proud of him.
We have recently obtained his WWII medals.
He died on 8 Sept 1986 at Orsett Hospital, carcinoma of the lung.
The documents and photographs and above account have been kindly provided by Diane Rogers, daughter of Sgt Ronald Gorton.