Arthur Payton was born on the 27th January 1915, according to the 1939 National Register that was taken on the 29th September 1939, and according to the Family tree of suzejones 52, was born in Tipton, Staffordshire. https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/31791591/person/370186014348/facts
Arthur was the son of George & Harriet Payton (nee Winsper), who had married in St. Martin’s Church, Tipton, on the 5th August 1895.
The reason the family moved must have been because of work, as on the 1911 census George is seen as a Blast Furnace Man, and his talents would have been needed in Shotton at John Summers steelworks. The census show the family living at 41, Gospel Oak Road, Tipton, with 3 rooms, where they had all been born. George was 39, and he tell us that he had been married to Harriet, 36, for 14 years and that 6 children had been born to them, sadly 1 had died. Their children were Harold, 13, George 11, both at School, daughters, Beatrice, 8 Gladys, 4 and Eva 2. Arthur was born 6 years after Eva and was their youngest child, according again to suzejones52, many thanks to her.
I have no news of Arthur in his early years, but he is seen on the 1921 census which was taken on the 19th of June 1921. They were still living at 41, Gospel Oak Road, Tipton, and George was still head of the household, he was now age 49 years and 9 months old and still working as a Blast Furnace man in the same company as he was in 1911 but was out of work. Harriet was now 47 years and 8 months old and was doing “Home Duties.” Their family had grown by 1, there were now 6 children, Harold Payton, 23 years, and 11 months old, who was a Blacksmith’s Striker at Messrs J. J. Bagwell & Sons, Leabrook Iron & Steel Works, Nr. Wednesbury, Staffordshire, he was also out of work. George Payton was 22 years and 2 months old and an Iron moulder at Bullers Ltd., Eng, Co., Tipton, Staffordshire, he too was out of work, the miners were on strike. Beatrice Payton now 19 years and 1 month old was single, as were her brothers, and “Not occupied for a Living.” Gladys Payton was age 14 years and 6 months old and a General Domestic Servant in “Private” Domestic Service. Eva Payton was 12 years and 6 months old, and Arthur Payton was 6 years and 6 months old, they were both at school.
I do not know when Arthur enlisted or was conscripted, but he was to join the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. It must have been after the 29th of September 1939, by which time the family had moved to Shotton. They must have moved between the 1921 census and 1939, but suspect it was shortly after 1921 as Arthur had enough time to meet his future wife, propose and marry her. Any information would be gratefully received.
Arthur was to marry in the June Quarter of 1939, to Elizabeth Popplewell in a Civil Ceremony at Holywell (Flintshire (Mold) HOL/65/1). The 1939 National Register which was taken on the 29th September 1939 shows them living at Wepre Cottage, High Street, Connah’s Quay. Arthur’s date of birth, as said before as the 27th January 1915 and he was a Steelworks Sheet Iron Draper, with Elizabeth, born 28th February 1914 doing “Unpaid Domestic Duties.” This was the description given to all married women who weren’t in any occupation.
Arthur’s parent’s George & Harriet Payton were, on this National Register, living at 14, North Street, Shotton. George Payton had been born on the 4th of August 1871 and was a General Labourer, Harrie had been born on the 19th of August 1871, Arthur’s sister, Beatrice May, born the 14th May 1902 and single, was a Laundry Worker, while Gladys Maud had been born on the 13th January 1907 and like her mother was doing “Unpaid Domestic Duties” was single. They were living in the same street as William Thomas Camden Freeth, who was also killed in WW2, they must have been mates. Please click on the link to read his story.
Arthur was to be in 622 Squadron and I have the RAF Records for 622 Sqn (Operations Record Book) for the month of July 1944 and Arthur is not mentioned. They mention all the sorties or flights, and different men were mentioned as “failed to return” but Arthur was not named on any of them, but one flight failed to return and the Pilot was F/O PEABODY, so that was a clue to the Crew that Arthur was with, I searched again and found the flight where they failed to return and of course the crew Arthur was with.. They were stationed at Mildenhall.
I downloaded another set of Records, Arthur is on these with his crew, (Please contact the website if you would like to see the Operational Records of the flights.):-
F/O PEABODY H.S. (RCAF)
F/O DOE, J.H. (RCAF)
SGT. PAYTON A
F/O PIDDICK R.L. (RCAF)
SGT PROULX H. (RCAF)
SGT BUCKLEY P.W.
P/Lt. WISHART G.J.
SGT COSGROVE D.J.C. was instead of Wishart on the 17th July (Page 25) – aircraft recalled to base.
So Arthur and his colleagues and crew also flew on these dates below, leading up to the ill-fated mission on the night of the 28th July 1944 on Lancaster Bomber Lancaster L7576 “K.”
18th July page 32
20th July page 40
23rd July page 49
24th July page 55
28th July page 65 took off at 22.00 on the 28th July 1944, so his death was recorded as being the next day the 29th when they didn’t return.
– Remarks – Nothing heard of this aircraft after take-off.
Many thanks for the sterling work done by the aircrewremembered.com website:-
Taken from the Website:- http://www.aircrewremembered.com/AlliedLossesIncidents/?q=payton%2C+Arthur
1 Payton Arthur Sergeant 1547679 1914 Wireless Operator/Air Gunner RAFVR Bomber Command 622 Sqd 1944-07-28 Lancaster I L7576 Code – GI-K Mildenhall Time – 2200 Mission – Stuttgart Crashed at 0130 hours into woods at Pot-de-Vin Killed – Petitmont Communal Cemetery Grave 1. Son of George and Harriet Payton; husband of Elizabeth Payton, of Connah’s Quay, Flintshire
Of the Crew, only 3, including Arthur are buried in Petitmont Communal Cemetery, Richard Godfrey Proulx, 622 (R.A.F.) Sqdn. Royal Canadian Air Force, age 21 years, and Percy William Buckley, 622 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, son of Percy and Ruth Buckley; husband of Jeannie Buckley, of Bow, London.
Remembered on the Runnymede Memorial are:-
Flying Officer, PEABODY, HAROLD SHERMAN, Aged 23, 622 Sqdn. Royal Canadian Air Force, son of Harold Albert and Helen E. Wray Peabody, of Sherbrooke, Province of Quebec, Canada and Flying Officer, DOE, JAMES HARRINGTON, 622 Sqdn., Royal Canadian Air Force. Their bodies were presumably not recovered and therefore remembered at Runnymede.
The other 2 Crew were :-
Flying Officer Fiddick, R.L. J/29707 Air Bomber Royal Canadian Air Force –
Crashed at 0130 hours into woods at Pot-de-Vin Evader – Returned to England 2 Oct 1944 via France
see –http://www.aircrewremembered.com/AlliedLossesIncidents/?q=Fiddick
Flying Officer Wishart, G. J. 52187 Flight Engineer RAFVR Bomber Command – Crashed at 0130 hours into woods at Pot-de-Vin PoW Unknown camp.
See – http://www.aircrewremembered.com/AlliedLossesIncidents/?q=WISHART+ Again, many thanks to this website.
Arthur is also remembered on the International Bomber Command Centre website :- https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/221917/ This source tells us what happened.
LAST OPERATION INFORMATION
Start Date 28-07-1944
End Date 28-07-1944
Takeoff Station Mildenhall
Day/Night Raid Night
Operation Stuttgart. 496 aircraft in the third raid in this series. Night-fighters intercepted the bomber stream over France on the outbound leg and in bright moonlit conditions, leading to 39 Lancasters being shot down (7.9%).
Reason for Loss Crashed at Petitmont, west of Strasbourg, France
FELLOW SERVICEMEN
Buckley P W (Sgt)
Doe J H (F/O)
Peabody H S (F/O)
Proulx R G (F/S)
Arthur & Elizabeth were to have one son, Arthur V. Payton, I believe, in the June Quarter of 1944, according tothe Free BMD website and 1943 in the North Wales BMD Website (Flintshire (Mold)HAW/57A/47), the birth certificate would have to be purchased to confirm/deny. In any case Arthur was to be very young and Elizabeth devastated
Arthur Payton in the England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995:- PAYTON, Arthur of Wepre Cottage, High-street, Connah’s Quay near Chester who is presumed to have died on or since 29 July 1944 on war service. Administration Chester 12 April to Elizabeth PAYTON, Widow.
Arthur was well loved by his large family as they made sure he would be remembered when they added his name to the WW2 War Memorial.
HIS STEP UNTRACED: WE ONLY KNOW AND SEEN HIS FATHER’S FACE AND SEEN HIS FATHER’S FACE
