Richard Whittington Brewin
Attended Queen Elizabeth School between 1931 and 1936.
He received his early education at Shirebrook Model Village School and at the age of 10 gained a scholarship to Queen Elizabeth Grammar School. He maticulated at the age of 15 with a distinction in English. On leaving school he joined Messer Barringer, Wallis and Manners Ltd. as a clerk. He played cricket for both his school and works and was also member of St Augustine's Choir.
- Family History
- Military history
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His parents were Leonard James and Irene Brewin of 187 Chesterfield Road North, Mansfield.
Richard was known as Dick. He had 3 siblings, Keith born in 1919 and who died as a baby, Thelma born 17/7/1923 and Peter born 17/3/1925.
In 1921 the family were living at 6 Vernon Street, Shirebrook. Leonard worked at Shirebrook Colliery.
Richard Brewin enlisted in 1939 on his eighteenth birthday and was awarded his wings in August 1940.
According to the ‘Old Elizabethans’ Service Roll, on 29th April 1941 Brewin was killed returning to base when his aircraft, damaged in action, crashed into the North Sea.
However, research by New Zealand historian John Stackhouse, drawing on an eye witness account by Squadron Leader Ernest ‘Nipper’ Joyce DFM (1920-1944), has shown this to be incorrect.
Flying Hawker Hurricanes, from Martlesham Heath, near Ipswich, noted Stackhouse, squadron commander E. P. P. Gibbs led 3 Sqdn on 29th April to undertake formation flying practice. The group was told to remain in formation.
All went well initially, but Gibbs inadvertently led them into barrage balloons the cable from one of which sheared off a major part of one wing of Brewin's aircraft. The Hurricane was seen to spin down and crash into the sea at high speed.
Brewin’s Hurricane bounced out and raced more than a quarter of mile along the surface. It finally sank in shallows known as Hamford Water, Twizzle Creek near Walton on the Naze, Essex.
Brewin’s body was released from the cockpit after 7 hours of hard work by an Air-Sea Rescue Squad.
His grave (plot 749) at Shirebrook Cemetery is at the foot of a sycamore tree.
His close friend, Thomas Halford Knighton was killed on 4th April 1941
Mansfield Airman Buried in France:
The parents of Sergt Observer Thomas Halford Knighton of 41 Cromford Avenue Mansfield have received information from the International Red Cross that their son, who was reported missing, believed killed early in April and is buried in Brittany.....
....He was a member of the Voluntary Air Reserve before the war and was a close friend of Sergt Pilot Richard W Brewin of Mansfield, whose death on active service was reported 10 days ago.
Photo of Richard Whittington Brewin
CWGC Headstone
Photo of Richard Whittington Brewin
Headstone