1939 - 1945
R Sparkes
- Name: Sparkes, Robert Alfred
- Nationality: United Kingdom
- Rank: Flight Sergeant (Air Gnr.)
- Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
- Unit Text: 620 Sqdn.
- Age: 24
- Date of Death: 06/06/1944
- Service No: 1393942
- Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
- Grave/Memorial Reference: Sp. Mem. III. K. 4.
- Memorial: La Delivrande War Cemetery, Douvres France
A member of his family says that he was rear gunner in a plane towing gliders on 'D Day'. But it seems likely that he was on a Stirling Mk IV (EF268) taking part in operation TONGA, which involved dropping part of 6th Airborne Division's paratroops near Caen. Three aircraft failed to return to Fairford. One was EF268 which was piloted by Flight Officer Irvine Nathaniel CASKEY of the Royal Canadian Air Force, he is also recorded as being buried in La Delivrande War Cemetery. (The other 2 pilots are buried at Ranville War Cemetery.)
Son of George Henry Robert Sparkes and Lucy (nee Moss), lived at Hazeldene (built by his parents), Jail Lane, Biggin Hill, born 1920 in Whitechapel area. Uncle to Bernard Kenneth Sparkes.