CASE STUDY DAVID ADRIAN BOLDY
Born in 1918, David Adrian Boldy was the son of Amerkan and Lily May, Armenians living in India. David attended boarding schools in Darjeeling before moving to the UK in 1937 to study law at Kings College, London.
In 1939, David joined the RAF, training as an observer and air gunner. By 1940, he had been promoted to Flight Sergeant in 207 Squadron, based at RAF Waddington, completing his air gunner training in South Africa. The squadron moved to RAF Bottesford and was involved in bombing raids over Germany. David’s squadron received the new Avro Lancaster in 1942.
David was a prolific letter writer, telling his parents about playing tennis, swimming in the sea, drunken nights in Torquay and the girls he is dating, asking his mum to send him silk pyjamas from Selfridges!
On 11 June 1942, David’s squadron took part in an attack on Danzig U- Boat yards. Visibility was poor. Of the 44 planes taking part, two did not return. David’s plane was shot down, and all the crew were killed. Their remains are buried in the British Military Cemetery at Marlbork in Poland.