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Harold Ugo Sykes

1918 – 1940

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SON OF JACK AND INEZ HUSBAND OF DEA AND BROTHER OF PERCY AND ALAN

Flying Officer ( Pilot ) 40269 Royal Air Force Age 22 His story can be found here - http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/commonwealth_sykes.htm Born Alexandria, Egypt ∼ FLYING OFFICER HAROLD UGO SYKES Service Number: 40269 Regiment & Unit/Ship Royal Air Force 80 Sqdn. Date of Death Died 28 November 1940 Age 22 years old Buried or commemorated at THE CHURCHYARD OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES, DROVIAN Albania Country of Service United Kingdom Additional Info Son of Jack Sykes and of Inez Sykes (nee Barbier); husband of Dea Valerie Sykes, of Monkseaton, Northumberland. Personal Inscription SON OF JACK AND INEZ HUSBAND OF DEA AND BROTHER OF PERCY AND ALAN Harold 'Bill' Sykes was born on 6 August 1918 in Alexandria, Egypt. His parents were John Sykes (a British Citizen) and Inez Barbier (an Italian subject born in Egypt to an Italian mother (Astori) and father who was of French descent (Barbier)). They were residing in Atbara, Sudan while working for the Sudanese Government Railways. Harolds' two younger brothers Percy and Alan were born in Atbara. He joined the RAF as a pupil on 23 August 1937, and was granted a short service commission on 24 October, being confirmed as a Pilot Officer on 23 August 1938. He was promoted to Flying Officer on 23 March 1940, serving with 80 Squadron in Egypt. When the war started in North Africa on 10 June 1940, 80 Squadron was commanded by Squadron Leader R. C. Jonas and based at Amriya. It had 22 Gladiators (mainly Mk.Is) and one Hurricane Mk.I (L1669 – nicknamed Collie's Battleship) on hand. Its main role was the defence of Alexandria. The pilots were divided into three Flights. 'C' Flight included Flight Lieutenant Ralph Evers-Swindell, Flying Officer Peter Wykeham-Barnes, Flying Officer Sykes, Pilot Officer Frankie Stubbs, Pilot Officer Wanklyn Flower, Sergeant George Barker, Sergeant J. H. Clarke, Sergeant Edward Hewett and Sergeant Kenneth Russell Rew.