MISSING: The Wartime Account of Two Brothers
A book about two brothers from Manning’s Heath has just been launched. Written by David James Parker, it concerns the stories of Harry and William Warman. Harry was in the Royal Air Force, flying Bristol Blenheim bombers from the outbreak of the Second World War. A pre-war airman, having joined the RAF in 1936, he was flying operations over the North Sea on anti-shipping patrols, he took part in the Norway campaign, flying from Lossiemouth and finally operating over France and the Low Countries, covering the retreat to Dunkirk. Harry was shot down and killed on the 27th of May 1940.
William was a regular soldier, having joined the Royal Artillery in 1930. After serving in Hong Kong and Aden he was posted to Singapore in 1939. Captured at the fall of Singapore on the 15th of February 1942 and after a few months in prison camps on the island, he was a member of a party of prisoners taken to Ballale as forced labour. With the Allies closing in and their work finished the Japanese killed the remainder of the prisoners, some having been killed in air raids and some dying of disease.
David has also mentioned other people who were involved in this story, their cousin Harry Jones being one of these. Horsham’s first casualty in the Second World War.
The author has researched this over a number of years meeting up with people that knew the brothers along with a couple of family members.
Not only is this a war story, it is very much a human story.
David is a chimney sweep, working around the Horsham area. This is his first venture into writing, apart from a few magazine articles. He has been interested in history from a young age. His interest was fuelled by the history teachers at Forest Boys School.
David ‘s interest in these two brothers stems from being given Harry’s RAF mess tunic by Miss May Oakey, former teacher at Lower Beeding who had adopted Harry in the 1920’s. Fifteen years later he ended up with Harry’s medals and a discharge certificate which gave him the key to start unlocking the story.
David is also becoming known for giving talks about the First World War, Second World War Home Front and his life as a sweep.
Published by Redshank Books, this can be ordered on line direct from Libri Publishing at www.libripublishing.co.uk. Also available from local book shops and Horsham Museum. Priced: £9.99
