Max was born on 19 February 1909 in London to Joseph and Dora Siedletzky. The family surname was changed before 1939. Max married Joan Hammerson in 1936 in Hackney and their daughter Sandra was born in 1938. In 1939, Max, Joan and Sandra were living with his parents and his married sister Kitty and her husband Harry at 17 Cobham Road, Southend on Sea. Joseph is listed as a retired tailor, Max a commercial traveller and Harry a band leader. After Max’s death his wife Joan and daughter Sandra emigrated to Johannesburg after the war ended. Sandra married Samuel Grolman and they had three children.

Max was the flight engineer on Stirling EH907 which departed RAF West Wickham on a night operation to Cologne. The aircraft crashed at Moorsel, Belgium killing all the crew.

A/G, Charles Henry Fenton, 1304421
A/G, Arthur Frederick Robert Leonard, 1811706
Pilot, Malcolm Lionel Brian Morrison, 1333473
Nav, Alexander Patrick McGinley, 1337039
W/Op, William McGuire, 1125722
A/G, Cyril Reddell, 1425265