What I discovered about my family's war heroes

My great great uncle Francis Thomas Culling-Mannix was a pilot officer for world war two. He was the third and last of the Mannix boys as his brother Philip drowned when he was fourteen and Leo died of a childhood illness. Tom changed his surname to Culling-Mannix because in the war they would sort the soldiers into groups depending on the first letter of their surname. He added his third Christian name Culling to his original name so he could be with his friend who’s surname started with C unfortunately he was not put with his friend. Tom Culling-Mannix was the captain of Halifax R/502. On the afternoon of Saturday 5^th February 1944 Halifax R/502 failed to return, having been due at St. Davids at 3:51 the following morning.  Officer Francis Thomas Culling-Mannix had lost his life at sea, without a trace. Tom earned many medals the 1939-45 star, the Atlantic star, the defence medal, the war medal 1939-45 and the New Zealand war medal which were sent to his father on the 30^th May 1950.

Francis Thomas Culling-Mannix

My great great uncle Laurence H. Edwards was a RAF airman. On the 5^th September 1939 just after the war began Laurence was shot down over the North sea. He was the first Allied officer to fall into German hands. He was the first prisoner of war. Laurence was prisoner of war for 5 years. He had survived the war and passed away in the 1994.

By Hannah S