Theodore Norman Gerald Winning

Family Background

Theodore Norman Winning was born on 8th August 1884 in Orange Free State, Africa. He was the son of the Reverend William Winning and his wife Eleanor Jane née Chambers. He married Florence Marshall Bonner in 1913 and together they raised a family of five children. In 1911 Theodore is listed as the Secretary of a Malleable Iron Company. Although he later qualified in law and had his own practice. The 1939 shows him as a Barrister and living with his family at 23 Chester Road, Castle Bromwich.

 

Theodore Norman Winning World War 1

During WW1 Theodore served as a Captain with the Notts and Derby Regiment.

 

Sergeant William Borton Cecil Winning (740610)

Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 49 Squadron

William was the second son of Theodore and Florence Winning.He was born on 4th November 1914 in Bengal. The 1939 census lists William as a Flying Instructor.

On 5th January 1941 he was an observer in a four man crew that took off in a Handley Page Hampden BI (Serial Number P4322) at 17.05 from Scampton for a mining operation in French waters. Other crew members were:

Pilot Officer G E Price

Sergeant C A Small

Sergeant T H Chamberlain

On the 6th January the plane was diverted as it returned to base, but failed to arrive at its destination. The crew was listed as missing, believed killed in action. He is commemorated on the Runnymeade Memorial and on the Altar of Remembrance in Castle Bromwich.

 

Theodore Norman Gerald Winning

Pilot 51 Squadron RAF Volunteer Reserve

Theodore Norman Gerald Winning was the eldest son of Theodore Norman and Florence Winning. He was born in the Paddington District of London on 27th May 1913. He gained his pilot’s certificate on 4th July 1932.

In 1937 he married Joan Habberfield Short.

On 19th February 1942 Theodore Norman Gerald Winning was commissioned into the RAFVR. pilot, 51 Squadron RAF. The London Gazette lists his promotion on 19th February 1944.

On 17th February 1945 he was the pilot in a seven-man crew of a Halifax III MZ765 (MH-E). The plane took off at 11:59 hrs from Snaith for an operation against Wesel. Outboard, the starboard inner engine caught fire and the Halifax crashed 13:25 hrs at Manning’s Heath, 2 miles SE of Horsham, Sussex. F/Lt. Winning succeeded in getting out of the aircraft but slipped through his harness and fell to his death. Two of the seven men crew did not survive the crash. He is buried in St Nicholas Churchyard, Elmdon and commemorated on the Altar of Remembrance at Castle Bromwich.

 

Wing Commander Deryck Selkirk Winning

Deryck Selkirk Winning was born in Derby in 1916. He was commissioned into the RAF on 1st July 1937. On 6th May 1941 he was transferred from the reserves of air force officers and called up for service. He served until 1st November 1947.  Records show that from 1950 – 1967 he worked as a Solicitor in Derby.

References

1945. Squadron Number: 51 Records of Events. The National Archives, AIR 27/494/4. London.

1945. Squadron Number: 51 Summary of Events. The National Archives, AIR 27/494/3. London.

Losses.internationalbcc.co.uk. 2019. Winning T – International Bomber Command Centre. [online] Available at: <https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/230921/>.

Royal Air Force (Volunteer Reserve) Officers 1939-1945 — W (unithistories.com)