Michael, known as Stanley, was born in January 1918 in Willesden, London to William (Woolf) and Lillie née Cohen and he had a younger brother Gerald. The family surname was changed post war from Jacobs to Jay. In 1911, Stanley’s grandfather Alexander owned a fishmongers in Stoke Newington and all of his sons worked in the business. In 1939, Stanley’s father worked as a film renter and the family lived in Whitchurch, Hampshire.

Stanley was the 2nd Pilot on Stirling N6091 which departed RAF Oakington on an operation to Berlin. The aircraft was shot down by flak and crashed between Hekelingen and Spijkenisse (Zuid Holland), 14 km SW of Rotterdam, where the crew are buried in the city’s Crooswijk General Cemetery.

A/G, Edward Owen Brooks, 1380784
A/G, George Hall Chesman, 808036
W/Op, Peter Johnstone, 1052109
Pilot, James William Cooper Morris, RAAF 400281
Obs, Bernard Wallwork, 1100036
F/E, Cecil Walton, 569348