Hugh Weir

Hugh was born on 22/09/1916 at Malling in Kent, the youngest son of Thomas Logan and Annie Madeleine Weir, nee Macdonald. Thomas had been born in Scotland and was a mechanic in the Royal Flying Corps, and later the RAF, during WW1. The family moved to Lewes following Thomas’ discharge from the RAF in 1920.

Hugh attended Pells school and gained a scholarship to Brighton Grammar School and a junior Cambridge scholarship. He was a keen swimmer and all round sportsman. When he left school he joined Ringmer Building Works as a costing and accounts clerk.

Hugh, as printed in the Sussex Agricultural Express

In 1939 the family were living at 64 North Street. His father was a motor mechanic working on his own account and two of Hugh’s brothers appear to have worked with him. Hugh married Joan Louvain Carter from Southover at the Lewes Register Office in February 1940 and they set up home in Ringmer.

He joined the RAFVR at Uxbridge in April 1940. He was numbered 926306 and sent to 16 Operational Training Unit (OTU) Squadron based at Upper Heyford. This unit was newly set up from  a mix  of other training units and became part of 7 Group RAF in July 1940. One of its principle aims was to train night bomber crews. Hugh showed proficiency as a bomb aimer breaking three course records during training and being awarded a silver cup. He became a Sergeant Observer. It is unclear from the records whether he had completed training and become an instructor or whether he was still training.

Early on 24/10/1941 he took off on a training flight in a Handley Page Hampden Mark 1, code number P4301, from RAF Croughton. The local paper lists this as an operational flight but the RAF records it as a daytime training flight. Hugh was listed as a Sergeant Observer but acting as Navigator.
There was a crew of four, a pilot and two wireless operators plus Hugh. All were sergeants.

The flight was without incident until they came in to land. They hit trees and crashed near Charlton. All four men were killed.

Hugh’s funeral was held at St Anne’s and attended by a large number of people. At least five of the floral tributes were from men at 16 OTU. The service was followed by an interment at Lewes Cemetery in grave B 92.
Hugh’s home address at the time of his death was given as 28 Mountfield Road.

Hugh is remembered  at  the International  Bomber Command  Centre  on phase 1 panel 113 as  well  as  on the St John sub Castro Memorial and the Lewes War Memorial.