Tributes as wartime hero Roy dies at 88

An RAF navigator who flew 30 bombing missions over Germany – before later teaching hundreds of schoolchildren in Oswestry – has died.

Roy Ollerhead, from Oswestry, gave up a place in Cambridge University to join the RAF and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal in 1944 by King George VI.

The 88-year-old died in hospital on March 22 after a short illness, leaving three daughters, five grandchildren and seven grandchildren.

His funeral will take place at Pentrebychan Crematorium in Wrexham on Tuesday at 2.30pm.

After attending Oswestry School, Mr Ollerhead joined the RAF, cycling daily to RAF Shawbury, a 90-minute trip, to train as a navigator.

"He would have preferred to have been a pilot but his daredevil approach of making a 'victory roll' over Oswestry during his training, endeared him to his superiors," daughter Carole joked.

He joined the 626 Squadron of Lancaster Bombers and completed 30 operations.

His daughter said: "He enjoyed his war years although always realised how lucky he was to return home. He always thought about the whereabouts of his six crew. In retirement he managed to contact all but one of the crew and their first reunion, in Oswestry in 1993, was a very emotional occasion."

Mr Ollerhead trained as a teacher after the war and taught hundreds of children over the years, at Oswestry School, Gobowen Primary School and Woodside School in Oswestry. He also spent 13 years at the Orthopaedic Hospital School teaching patients. He was also secretary to Oswestry Town Football Club for 12 years.

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