This is a story of two brothers, James Michael “Mick” Horrox and Paul H.T. Horrox, sons of The Rev and Mrs H. T. Horrox of Keyingham, East Yorkshire, and a young lady called Cynthia Jean Sedman (Jean) from Guiseley, Leeds. The Horrox family lived in Levisham-with-Lockton, North Yorkshire, where Jean spent many of her school holidays with her aunt. The boys and Jean knew each other and played together from an early age.
James Michael “Mick” Horrox (left) and Paul H.T. Horrox (right)
As they grew older Paul became very fond of Jean but he was six months younger - which at that age seemed a huge difference. Jean became more friendly with Mick and eventually became engaged to him on 2nd November 1940.
After what was described at the time as a ‘distinguished school career’, Mick joined the staff at ‘Messrs. Blackburn’s Aircraft Works’ - to quote the newspaper of the time - and at the outbreak of war was a Sergeant in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. After gaining his commission he was attached to 151 Squadron and went on to serve as a Pilot Officer on Hurricanes in the Battle of Britain. After that ‘strenuous autumn’, according to news reports, Mick volunteered for overseas service. Thus, in November 1940, very shortly after his engagement to Jean, having attained the rank of Flying Officer, he was sent to Malta on the aircraft carrier HMS Argus along with 11 other Hurricanes and their pilots to bolster the island’s defences. On 16th November the convoy, of which the Argus was part, was approximately 400 miles from Malta when the Captain ordered the Hurricanes to be launched due to reports that the Italian fleet was at sea. The Hurricanes were split into two flights and as the first flight was launching the weather turned foul. Sadly the
second flight, which included Mick and the other five Hurricanes, disappeared and were lost in the Mediterranean after the bad weather launch. It seems they were not met by their expected Sunderland escort and became lost in bad weather. It is assumed they ran out of fuel and crashed. Eight of the twelve Hurricanes and seven of the pilots were lost that day, with only one pilot being picked up.
Meanwhile Paul had joined the RAF to become a pilot in Bomber Command. In August 1941 his aircraft, Halifax L9530 of 76 Squadron, of which he was 2nd Pilot to Flt Lt Christopher Cheshire (above) - brother of Leonard - took off from RAF Middleton St George, near Darlington, Co. Durham, on a night raid to Berlin. A few hours into the mission, the aircraft was brought down by heavy flak over Germany. Of the crew, two lost their lives, but the rest survived and Paul spent the rest of the war as a POW in Stalag Luft III. Luckily, as far as research shows, he was not involved in the famous ‘Great Escape’, which took place from that camp in 1943, resulting in the execution of 50 of those recaptured.
Halifax L9530 of 76 Squadron
The aircraft in which F/L Christopher Cheshire was shot down on the night of 12/13 August 1941.
Five of the crew, including Cheshire and Sgt Paul Horrox, parachuted to safety and became POWs. The front and rear gunners Sgt A T Niven and F/S W Woods lost their lives.
(photo credited to Imperial War Museum)
When it seemed certain Mick had been killed, Paul wrote to Jean from his prison camp asking her to marry him. However, by that time Jean, who was serving with the Voluntary Aid Detachment (V.A.D.), was engaged to an Army officer. She wrote to tell Paul this, but by the time Paul received the letter the Army officer had also been killed.
So it seems that Paul and Jean were meant for each other and in September 1945, shortly after Paul’s return, they were married at Guiseley. By all accounts they had a very happy married life. Paul sadly passed away in December 1998.
There is a bench commemorating Mick in the North Yorkshire village of Lockton. His name also appears on the Runnymede Memorial in Surrey.
Many thanks to Elsie Horrox, Keith & Maureen Horrox and Richard Forder in providing facts to put this together.
Nick Horrox
The People’s Mosquito
This article is from the Summer 2012 issue of Confound and Destroy
