Jill+Goring

**JILL GORING MEMORIAL, ST LAWRENCE CHURCHYARD,** **HIGH STREET, WHITWELL, DERBYSHIRE**

**Inscription:** IN LOVING MEMORY OF MY ONLY DAUGHTER JILL A.T.S. AGED 23 IN MISSING AIRCRAFT RETURNING FROM LEAVE TO ITALY 4TH OCT 1945 BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART

Nestled in the Whitwell Churchyard is a memorial to Jill Goring. How it came to be placed here we do not know as she has no obvious connection with Derbyshire. We would appreciate it if anyone who has any information in respect of this contact us in order that we can include it here.

CWGC Database: Jill Goring, Corporal W/237256, Auxiliary Territorial Service. Died 4th October 1945, aged 23 years. Commemorated on the Brookwood Memorial, Panel 22, Column 3. Daughter of John Goring and Dorothy G Goring, of St. John’s Wood, London.

<span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman,serif; text-align: justify;">Jill was a passenger on Lancaster, Number PA278 of 103rd Squadron, which took off from RAF Connington at 3am on 4th October 1945 bound for Naples, Italy, taking a total of 19 female personnel back from UK leave. Another Lancaster was involved in the flight. Whilst crossing the Mediterranean to the West of Marseille, France, Lancaster PA278 sent a radio message to the other aircraft reporting that it was experiencing engine problems and returning to Marseille. There was no further contact with the aircraft, however, a report of an explosion and flames at approximately 4.40am was filed by the other aircraft, which reached Naples safely. No wreckage or personnel effects were ever recovered, and due to the large number of women on board, the incident were not made public until March 1946.

<span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman,serif; text-align: justify;">Those who died in this incident were:

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Flight Lieutenant Geoffrey TAYLOR (Pilot)

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Sergeant William John KENNEDY (Air Gunner)

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Flight Sergeant Jack Anthony REARDON (Navigator)

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Flight Sergeant Norman Reginald ROBBINS (Wireless Operator)

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Sergeant Richard George STEELE (Flight Engineer)

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Flight Lieutenant John Percy WHYMARK DFC DSO (Air Gunner)

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Senior Matron GI SADLER, age: 41 (South African Military Nursing Service)

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Lance Corporal Willimena ALLAN, age: 37 (Auxiliary Territorial Service)

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Private Phyllis Kathleen Doris BACON, age: 34 (Auxiliary Territorial Service)

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Corporal Heather C Cosens (Auxiliary Territorial Service) <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Private Stefania COURTMAN (Auxiliary Territorial Service)

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Private Barbara Diana CULLEN, age: 30 (Auxiliary Territorial Service)

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Sister Jane Simpson Annand CURRAN (Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service)

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Private Agnes EDWARDS, age: 28 (Auxiliary Territorial Service)

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Private Rhoda Alice FRASER, age: 24 (Auxiliary Territorial Service)

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Private Bessie GOODMAN, age: 25 (Auxiliary Territorial Service)

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Corporal Jill GORING, age: 23 (Auxiliary Territorial Service)

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Private Joan LARKIN, age: 24 (Auxiliary Territorial Service)

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Private Alice LILLYMAN, age: 22 (Auxiliary Territorial Service)

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Lance Corporal Sheila MACLEOD (Auxiliary Territorial Service)

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Lance Corporal May Eleanor MANN, age: 23 (Auxiliary Territorial Service)

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Private Betty Evelyn PRECIOUS, age: 24 (Auxiliary Territorial Service)

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Lance Corporal Enid Dacia RICE, age: 24 (Auxiliary Territorial Service)

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Staff Sergeant Jessie SEMARK, age: 29 (Auxiliary Territorial Service)

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Private Marion TAYLOR, age: 22 (Auxiliary Territorial Service) <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">