The society has been asked by Robert Lapes to help trace friends and family of Dilwyn FRANCIS born in Pontycymer in 1922. We are hoping that our readers can assist.
“On 22/23 March 1944 whilst on RAF Bomber Command operations, Dilwyn was killed in action along with his crew mates, my uncle J.J.Lapes was one of them”, writes Robert Lapes. In a letter home his uncle wrote, “Taffy the Bomb Aimer is short very dark and is a very happy fellow, he has no moustache and he does chew his nails at times.”
Dilwyn was the son of David Samuel and Rebecca Francis. It is possible that he had an older brother David who married a May WANKLYN and a younger sister Phyllis and married Ivor DAVIES
Recently Robert’s research has uncovered a crew photograph, eye witnesses to the crash and located the crash site.
It would be great if we can help Robert Lapes give Dilwyn more of a biography than: happy, short, dark, no moustache and chews nails a bit!
Dilwyn Francis was a brother to Laura Catherine Jones (nee Francis) who lives at 76 The Avenue Pontycymer. A well-known lady in the community, a former Community Councillor representing the Ratepayers Association and a member of the Garw Valley Ladies Choir.
15.09.11
Thank you for the “lead’. I will try and contact her shortly.
regards
I am Dilwyn’s nephew and able to give more details if you email
Dilwyn_jones@hotmail.com