Alexander Edward Bothwell

This story and photos are shared by the Trust with kind permission from Mavis Williams, Researcher. Photo courtesy of Lady Linda, FindaGrave.

Alexander Edward Bothwell was born on the 7th of June 1916, the son of Alexander & Emily Louise Bothwell (née Wainwright) and was baptised on the 28th of June 1916 at the Church of St. Stephen, Upton Park, Essex.

We see the young family on the 1921 census, which was taken on the 19th of June 1921, living at 32, Orwell Road, West Ham, London. Alexander Bothwell, aged 38 years, tells us that he was a Mechanical Draughtsman for J. Stone & Co. Ltd., Engineers, Deptford. S.E. and he had been born in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire. Emily Louise Bothwell, 36 years and 4 months old had been born in Bromley, London. Alexander Edward Bothwell, their son, was 5 years old, born in West Ham.

Sadly, I believe that Alexander's father, Alexander Bothwell Snr died in the December quarter of 1931, aged 49 years.

I have no information on Alexander in his early or teen years. But we see him again in 1939, on the 29th of September 1939, when the National Register was taken. He was living at Craig Nook Hawkstone Avenue, Guiseley, West Riding of Yorkshire with his mother, Emily L. Bothwell, and Doris Kinnin. Alick (sic) E. Bothwell was single and a ‘Traveller in Soap.’ Doris Kinnin, born the 26th of May 1921 was single and a ‘General Clerk, out of work.’

Alexander had known Doris Kinnin for many years. We first see her in the 1921 census where she was recorded as living at 37, Prospect Road, Snakes Lane, Woodford. I don't know how they met but she moved with him and his mother to Guiseley and they married in the June quarter of 1943.

I do not know when Alexander was to enlist or was conscripted but he was to find himself fighting on D-Day and laid down his life for our freedom. He had joined the RAF and was a member of the crew of Stirling Mk.IV LJ841, 196 Squadron on D-Day. They took off at 23:28 on the night of 5 June 1944 from RAF Keevil, Wiltshire to drop 17 paratroops of 5th Parachute Brigade, nine containers and one bicycle at drop zone 'N' near Ranville as part of Operation Tonga (6th Airborne Division's parachute and glider assault in the early hours of D-Day).

The paratroopers were dropped successfully but he was killed when it the aircraft was presumed to have been hit by German anti-aircraft fire and was seen in flames just east of the drop zone. It crashed near Cagny Cemetery, Calvados, killing all on board.

I believe Doris re-married in the December quarter of 1947 to Stanley K Morgan.