PROUD nephew Jim Spurgeon might never have met his uncle Stan, but all the same, he says the wartime flyer has always been his hero.

Growing up in the Colchester area, Jim had long known the story of his uncle, Stan Rolph, who enlisted in 1941 aged just 18 in the RAF Volunteer Reserve, determined to do his bit for King and country.

Sadly, he was not destined live to see the end of the war.

He was reported missing off the West African coast in 1944, aged 21. A few days later, the RAF confirmed he had died after the Sunderland flying boat in which he was flying was hit by a tornado and crashed on a flights between Lagos, Nigeria, and Libreville, in Gabon.

Stan was born and brought up in Marks Tey, where his name can be read on the village war memorial and on a plaque inside St Andrew’s Church.

Jim, who now lives in Halstead, said: “We believe one of the other crewmembers killed at the same time as Stan was also a village man, but we are not sure. We’d love to find out.”

Flight Sgt Stanley Rolph was a wireless operator and air gunner, a veteran of numerous missions.

Jim said: “He joined the reserves, but I don’t think that made much difference. He was flying on Lancasters and all the other big planes.”

Like somany servicemen in foreign climes, Stan wrote home regularly and while they started off hugely positive but their tone would later change.

Jim said: “They had to be very careful what they said in letters, so he didn’t really tell the familymuch. But it still spoke volumes.”

Stan was one of ten young men killed in the Sunderland crash off June 1944 and buried in West Africa, so none of his family has ever been able to visit his grave.

However, he is seldom far from their minds.

As well as his letters home, the family still have kept the telegrams informing them about his death, one expressing sympathy from the King and also details they were sent about Stan’s funeral.

Jim, 46, said: “It’s impossible to imagine the pain of losing your son, but add to that the pain of never ever being able to visit his grave.

“So on Remembrance Sunday it’s right we remembered them all. Whether it’s from the First WorldWar, the second war, or more recent conflicts, they are all heroes to somebody.

“My Uncle Stan was mine.”