Little is known of S/L Paul Draycott Dear at this time. There are no other persons listed as MIA or KIA on the date of his death. view details

Update May 2015: In 2014, David Birks published the book "Into The Hands of Nippon", the memoirs of his father Sgt Hubert Birks, who was a W/Op on the Squadron from late 1941 and part of the contingent that was reassigned to the Far East. Hubert makes mention of the incident surrounding S/Ldr Dear's death. A crew in a/c TR-G crashed on take off on a night flying practice run. Dear and the station C/O, Group Captain Scroggs were killed after helping the crew escape the wreck, when a fire detonated the bomb load. A fireman was also killed in the blast.

DEAR, PAUL DRAYCOTT, Squadron Leader (Pilot), Royal Air Force, 59 Sqdn. Age: 27. Date of Death: 29/09/1941. Service No: 39506. Son of Herbert Charles Dear and Elsie Flora Dear, of Leicester. Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Plot 1. Row B. Grave 5.

Inscription: Squadron Leader/P. D. DEAR/Pilot/Royal Air Force/29th September 1941 Age 27/In memory/of a loving and gallant son.

Note: kinsale ref: 49 Burial: St Nicholas, West Thorney  West Thorney Chichester District West Sussex, England Plot: 1, Row B, Grave 5

According to Flight Global dated 28th December 1937, Acting Pilot Officer Dear was confirmed in the rank of Pilot Officer, Royal Air Force.

Officers Serving in the Royal Air Force - General Duties Branch - Flight Lieutenants (list of) dated 3 September 1940, Dear, Paul Draycott (w).