Sydney George Peter MEDWIN

Leading Aircraftman (U/T Pilot) Sydney George Peter MEDWIN No. 1315853 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Died 21 October 1941 aged 19 as the result of a road accident. Laid to rest 28 October 1941.

Son of Sidney Alfred and Florence Medwin, of Cookham, Berkshire. Brother of Mary Medwin.

At rest at Little Rissington St Peter Churchyard, Gloucestershire.

Following extract credited to - Chipping Norton British Legion.com
On 21 October 1941 a RAF bus was in collision with a stationary lorry on the London Road, Charlton Kings, near Cheltenham. The bus caught fire and 9 airmen died, in addition to the above AC2 Ronald Rosenthall died being buried in Hull, with 13 others being injured. The men has been in Cheltenham for a night out and were on the way back to Little Rissington when the crowded bus hit a broken down lorry at shortly after 11pm. Although the lorry did have a red lamp on the back as a warning it was a dark night and wartime blackout conditions meant that the road was unlit. At the inquest held on Monday 3 November a verdict of accidental death found by the jury in a unanimous decision. They said that they would like to exonerate the driver of the coach from all blame but though the authorities should have had a older and experienced man driving the bus, especially at night, than the young man carrying out the duty. The coroner intimated that he agreed with the verdict of accidental death, but entirely disagreed that no blame attached the driver.