by James Scott

jscott@thekmgroup.co.uk

A veteran pilot who flew in 30 bombing raids over Germany during the Second World War has died.

Former Flight Lieutenant Franklin Hare Tritton, aged 89, of Tudor Road, Kennington lost his battle with prostate cancer at the William Harvey Hospital on Friday, October 22.

Mr Tritton, who served with 100 Squadron, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross aged just 22 after completing 12 operations.

He took part in a total of 30 operations, a number of them over Berlin and Hamburg including the destruction of a flying bomb factory.

During his flying career he notched up an impressive total of 1,629 flight hours.

Mr Tritton, whose father was a naval commander, grew up in Sheerness until his family moved to Medway when he was six.

After being educated at the Mathematical School and King's School, Rochester, he went to work for Eagle Star Insurance in Chatham.

When the war broke out Mr Tritton joined the Royal Artillery's Ack Ack anti-aircraft section before chance landed him in the Royal Air Force.

His widow Phyllis said: "He always said he got into the RAF by mistake.

"When he had been in the army for about 18 months, there was an appeal for men to train as pilots and Frank's friends put his name down for an interview in London.

"They said it would be a good day out, but Frank was horrified."

He was obliged to go for the interview, and although he thought he was being considered for the position of gunner, was told he had passed to train as a pilot.

During his training, which included six months in Canada, he learnt to fly a range of aircraft including DH82s, Tiger Moths, Avro Ansons and Halifax bombers.

His first solo flight in a Tiger Moth in the summer of 1941 nearly ended in disaster when he got lost and was forced to land in a farmer's field.

"He flew back to base by following the railway lines where they were about to send out a search party,†said Mrs Tritton.

"They were very impressed he had managed to land, take off and get back on his own."

In 1942 he began flying bombing runs over Germany.

Mrs Tritton said: "He went on to fly all of the heavy bomber planes but Lancasters mainly, which were always his favourite."

After the war he carried troops home from Germany and Italy, for which he was awarded the Air Crew Europe Star.

Mr Tritton went on to have a successful career in insurance and was a claims manager for a firm in London where he met his wife-to-be Phyllis.

The couple, who moved to Ashford in 1966, had four daughters, Susan, Sally, Alice and Mary. There are also six grandchildren.

Mrs Tritton said: "We were married for 54 years and Frank dearly loved his family, our four daughters, their husbands and our grandchildren."

Frank's funeral will be held at Charing Crematorium from 11.20am tomorrow.

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