Sergeant 1215561 Oliver Ormrod Openshaw
Royal Air Force

Oliver Ormrod Openshaw was the son of Herbert Arthur and Edith Jane Openshaw, of Brongain, Llanfechain. He was a good friend of Dick Jones, son of the Rector, who recalls routine fire-engine drills at Brongain before the war when Oliver ensured all got properly drenched.  He was educated at Shrewsbury School and prior to joining the RAF was employed in the offices of a cotton broker in Liverpool.  On joining the Air Force he qualified as a wireless operator/air gunner in bomber command and made many operational flights.  He died on Monday 8th February 1943 aged 23 in an accident at 10 Operational Training Unit, Abingdon. His Whitley aircraft landed badly during a night training exercise while attempting to land at Harwell. He is buried in the Llanfechain Churchyard.

His coffin was escorted to St Garmon’s Church by the Llanfechain Home Guard led by Sergeant Ernie Eillis followed by Police Sergeant Arthur of Llanfyllin and P.C. Johnson  of Llansantffraid.    The service at the church was taken by the rector, Rev’d D.J.C. Jones, Archdeacon Lorimer Thomas of Llansantffraid and the Rev’d B.P. Jones-Perrott from Ruabon. The last post was sounded over his grave by the military escort.