ST. ERBLON COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Ille-et-Vilaine
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 48.01929, Longitude: -1.65486
Location Information
St. Erblon is a village and commune about 7 kilometres south of Rennes, on the road to Le Sel (D.82). The communal cemetery is on the western side of the village on a secondary road which leads to the neighbouring village of Orgères.
There are 2 Commonwealth burials of the 1939-1945 war here, in the south-western part, near the west wall.
St. Erblon is a village and commune about 7 kilometres south of Rennes, on the road to Le Sel (D.82). The communal cemetery is on the western side of the village on a secondary road which leads to the neighbouring village of Orgères.
There are 2 Commonwealth burials of the 1939-1945 war here, in the south-western part, near the west wall.
Images in gallery below © Johan Pauwels
404241 Flying Officer
Kenneth William (Windy) Gale D. F. C.
Royal Australian Air Force
9th June 1944, aged 24.
Son of William James Gale and Margaret Frances Gale, of Surfers Paradise, Queensland, Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription A Pathfinder Shot Down After 88 Sorties. "With Loving Remembrances"
Kenneth William (Windy) Gale D. F. C.
Royal Australian Air Force
9th June 1944, aged 24.
Son of William James Gale and Margaret Frances Gale, of Surfers Paradise, Queensland, Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription A Pathfinder Shot Down After 88 Sorties. "With Loving Remembrances"
46016 Flight Lieutenant
Harry Steere D. F. C. & D. F. M.
Pilot in 627 Squadron, Royal Air Force
9th June 1944, aged 30.
Son of Ernest and Bessie Steere, of Wallasey, Cheshire; husband of Joan Margaret Steere, of Wallasey.
His headstone bears the inscription "Beloved Husband Of Joan And Father Of Robin. He Died That We Might Live"
Harry was born on the 7th February 1914 in Wallasey. He was the son of Ernest and Bessie Steere (nee Brooking), of Wallasey, Cheshire. His father was a Master Mariner in the Merchant Navy. Taken ill when his ship, the S.S.Oxfordshire, docked at Freetown, Sierra Leone, he died 1942 from 'diabetic gangrene' on the 9th April 1942. Harry had four older siblings, Hilda, Ernest, Marie and Jack.
Harry was educated at Manor Road Council School before being awarded a scholarship to Oldershaw Grammar School in Wallasey.
He joined the RAF at Halton in September 1930 as an Aircraft Apprentice. He signed on for twelve years' service and passed out as a Metal Rigger on the 18th August 1933, with the rank of Leading Aircraftsman.
After applying for pilot training and being selected, Harry began his flying course on 25th November 1935. He passed out as a Sergeant-Pilot on 22nd August 1936.
In April 1938 Harry married Joan Margaret Witter in his home town of Wallasey. On the 30th July 1940 they had a son who they named Robin.
At the outbreak of hostilities Harry was serving with 19 Squadron at Duxford. On 11th May 1940 he shared in the destruction of a Ju88, the squadron's first victory. Over Dunkirk on the 26th he destroyed a Ju87, on the 27th shared in probably destroying a Do17, on the 28th destroyed a Me109 and on 1st June he probably destroyed a Do17 and shared in the destruction of a Me109.
Harry was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal. Announced in the London Gazette No. 34951 on the 25th June 1940 the citation read:
"Flight Sergeant Steere has destroyed three enemy aircraft and has assisted in the destruction of three others. He has displayed considerable coolness and gallantry in the face of the enemy, and has at all times set an example to his fellow pilots by his devotion to duty".
On Battle of Britain Day, the 15th September 1940, he claimed a Bf 109 as probably destroyed and also destroyed a Dornier 17 over London. Three days later he shared in the shooting down of a Heinkel He111 medium bomber and a Junkers 88 over the Thames Estuary.
On the 27 September 1940, he destroyed a Bf 109 near Deal. By this time, the pace of operations had begun to slow but No. 19 Squadron still periodically encountered the Luftwaffe. On the 28th November 1940 Harry shot down a Bf 109 east of Ramsgate. This was his final aerial victory
The following month on the 8th December 1940 Harry was posted to CFS Upavon for an instructor's course, after which he instructed at 8 FTS Montrose.
Commissioned in June 1941, he joined 627 Squadron at Oakington at its formation on 12th November 1943, to operate in Mosquitos Son Pathfinder duties.
On the 9th June 1944, Harry and his navigator, Flying Officer K. Gale of the Royal Australian Air Force were attacking railroad infrastructure at Rennes in France when their Mosquito aircraft crashed near Orgères killing both men. They were buried side by side in St. Erblon Communal Cemetery.
An award of the Distinguished Flying Cross was made after his death. The citation in the London Gazette on the 23rd June 1944 read:
"Recently, this officer piloted an aircraft detailed to attack gun emplacements sited on the French coast. In spite of continuous heavy anti-aircraft fire, Flight Lieutenant Steere spent much time over the target area in order to identify accurately the precise target. Finally, his aircraft was struck by a shell which severely damaged the starboard elevator, forcing the aircraft into an uncontrollable climb. Displaying great coolness, Flight Lieutenant Steere promptly transmitted clear instructions to his deputy to assume control of the operation. He afterwards succeeded in regaining a measure of control and flew the damaged aircraft back to this country. He displayed a high degree of skill, courage and devotion to duty. This officer has completed a large number of varied sorties.
At the time of his death, he was credited with having shot down eleven German aircraft, five of which shared with other pilots, and two probably destroyed. In addition, one shared German aircraft was unconfirmed as destroyed.
Harry is commemorated on the Battle of Britain Monument in London and on the WW2 Memorial at Oldershaw Grammar School in Wallasey.
His older brother Jack Steere, flew with 72 Squadron in the Battle of Britain.
Harry's widow Joan did marry again. In the summer of 1946 she married Ronald Slack. Joan died in Wallasey in 1982.
(Sources: CWGC, Find My Past, Ancestry, Wikipedia, Battle of Britain Monument, Men of the Battle of Britain by K.G.Wynn, RAF Command, Aircrew Remembered, Newspaper Archives)
Bio Woose (Find a Grave)
Harry Steere D. F. C. & D. F. M.
Pilot in 627 Squadron, Royal Air Force
9th June 1944, aged 30.
Son of Ernest and Bessie Steere, of Wallasey, Cheshire; husband of Joan Margaret Steere, of Wallasey.
His headstone bears the inscription "Beloved Husband Of Joan And Father Of Robin. He Died That We Might Live"
Harry was born on the 7th February 1914 in Wallasey. He was the son of Ernest and Bessie Steere (nee Brooking), of Wallasey, Cheshire. His father was a Master Mariner in the Merchant Navy. Taken ill when his ship, the S.S.Oxfordshire, docked at Freetown, Sierra Leone, he died 1942 from 'diabetic gangrene' on the 9th April 1942. Harry had four older siblings, Hilda, Ernest, Marie and Jack.
Harry was educated at Manor Road Council School before being awarded a scholarship to Oldershaw Grammar School in Wallasey.
He joined the RAF at Halton in September 1930 as an Aircraft Apprentice. He signed on for twelve years' service and passed out as a Metal Rigger on the 18th August 1933, with the rank of Leading Aircraftsman.
After applying for pilot training and being selected, Harry began his flying course on 25th November 1935. He passed out as a Sergeant-Pilot on 22nd August 1936.
In April 1938 Harry married Joan Margaret Witter in his home town of Wallasey. On the 30th July 1940 they had a son who they named Robin.
At the outbreak of hostilities Harry was serving with 19 Squadron at Duxford. On 11th May 1940 he shared in the destruction of a Ju88, the squadron's first victory. Over Dunkirk on the 26th he destroyed a Ju87, on the 27th shared in probably destroying a Do17, on the 28th destroyed a Me109 and on 1st June he probably destroyed a Do17 and shared in the destruction of a Me109.
Harry was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal. Announced in the London Gazette No. 34951 on the 25th June 1940 the citation read:
"Flight Sergeant Steere has destroyed three enemy aircraft and has assisted in the destruction of three others. He has displayed considerable coolness and gallantry in the face of the enemy, and has at all times set an example to his fellow pilots by his devotion to duty".
On Battle of Britain Day, the 15th September 1940, he claimed a Bf 109 as probably destroyed and also destroyed a Dornier 17 over London. Three days later he shared in the shooting down of a Heinkel He111 medium bomber and a Junkers 88 over the Thames Estuary.
On the 27 September 1940, he destroyed a Bf 109 near Deal. By this time, the pace of operations had begun to slow but No. 19 Squadron still periodically encountered the Luftwaffe. On the 28th November 1940 Harry shot down a Bf 109 east of Ramsgate. This was his final aerial victory
The following month on the 8th December 1940 Harry was posted to CFS Upavon for an instructor's course, after which he instructed at 8 FTS Montrose.
Commissioned in June 1941, he joined 627 Squadron at Oakington at its formation on 12th November 1943, to operate in Mosquitos Son Pathfinder duties.
On the 9th June 1944, Harry and his navigator, Flying Officer K. Gale of the Royal Australian Air Force were attacking railroad infrastructure at Rennes in France when their Mosquito aircraft crashed near Orgères killing both men. They were buried side by side in St. Erblon Communal Cemetery.
An award of the Distinguished Flying Cross was made after his death. The citation in the London Gazette on the 23rd June 1944 read:
"Recently, this officer piloted an aircraft detailed to attack gun emplacements sited on the French coast. In spite of continuous heavy anti-aircraft fire, Flight Lieutenant Steere spent much time over the target area in order to identify accurately the precise target. Finally, his aircraft was struck by a shell which severely damaged the starboard elevator, forcing the aircraft into an uncontrollable climb. Displaying great coolness, Flight Lieutenant Steere promptly transmitted clear instructions to his deputy to assume control of the operation. He afterwards succeeded in regaining a measure of control and flew the damaged aircraft back to this country. He displayed a high degree of skill, courage and devotion to duty. This officer has completed a large number of varied sorties.
At the time of his death, he was credited with having shot down eleven German aircraft, five of which shared with other pilots, and two probably destroyed. In addition, one shared German aircraft was unconfirmed as destroyed.
Harry is commemorated on the Battle of Britain Monument in London and on the WW2 Memorial at Oldershaw Grammar School in Wallasey.
His older brother Jack Steere, flew with 72 Squadron in the Battle of Britain.
Harry's widow Joan did marry again. In the summer of 1946 she married Ronald Slack. Joan died in Wallasey in 1982.
(Sources: CWGC, Find My Past, Ancestry, Wikipedia, Battle of Britain Monument, Men of the Battle of Britain by K.G.Wynn, RAF Command, Aircrew Remembered, Newspaper Archives)
Bio Woose (Find a Grave)
