Anthony Angel Temple

Sub-Lieutenant, H.M.S. Landrail, 848 Squadron
Died 11 Apr 1944
Buried Willesden Jewish Cemetery
Age 21


Anthony was born on 27 May 1922 in Croydon, London to Polish born father Jacob, a tailor, and London born mother Raie nee Shaen and he had two sisters Joyce and Sylvia and a brother Leslie. Anthony was a member of the Stepney Jewish Lads Club and after finishing school he worked as an optical dispenser before enlisting in the Royal Navy. His brother Leslie served in the Army and both Joyce and Sylvia were in the Women’s Land Army.

Anthony was based at HMS Landrail (Royal Naval Air Station Machrihanish) located 5 km west of Campbeltown on the western side of the Kintyre Peninsula in Scotland. He was an observer on the aircraft Avenger I FN 878 which departed from Landrail with Leading Airman John Reed.

About 14.45 in the afternoon of the 11th of April, 1944, their aircraft crashed in the sea near to Carradale Point. The accident was seen from the Carradale observer post. At 16.25 the information, which came through the Royal Naval Air Station, Machrihanish, the police and the pier master, reached Mr. A. Galbraith, a fisherman at Carradale. He at once enlisted the services of two other men, and they put out in his motor fishing boat and went to the scene of the crash one and a half miles east of Carradale Point. A moderate southerly wind was blowing, with a moderate swell. The rescuers found and picked up two bodies. Meanwhile the police constable who had received the news of the accident, had secured the services of another fishing boat and had gone out in her. He met the boat which had the bodies on board, was put aboard her and made every effort to revive one of the men, but without success. Some wreckage was also picked up and handed over to an air-sea rescue boat, which had also gone out. The bodies were sent to Campbeltown.

Jewish Chronicle