Derek was born in April 1923 in Chorlton, Lancashire to Solomon and Bernice née Bloom. His mother died three months after he was born and his father remarried the following year to Esther his mother’s sister. Solomon was a waterproof garment manufacturer and the family moved from Manchester to 112 West Drive, Cleveleys in Blackpool where Derek was raised with his step brother Philip.

Derek enlisted and qualified as a wireless operator on 28 August 1943. He was killed on his third operation.

Derek was the wireless operator on Lancaster ND629 which departed RAF Elsham Wolds at 22:34 hours for an operation against Dortmund in Nordrhein-Westfalen.
Outward-bound, the aircraft was intercepted and shot down by night fighter pilot Oberleutnant Wilhelm Henseler of the 1./NJG 1, who was flying a Heinkel He 219 A-0 from Venlo airfield in the Netherlands. All the crew were killed and are buried at Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Derek’s log book can be viewed in the gallery.

Pilot, William James Donald Charles, RCAF, J/19622
A/G, Vaughan Davies, 2210654
A/B, Lancelot Stanley Kennedy, RCAF, J/27157
F/E, Augustus Ernest Lee, 1874595
A/G, Henry Alfred Shephard, 1853068
Nav, Owen Wright, RCAF, J/28272