Frederick James Windram was born on 18 February 1911 in South Ealing, Middlesex (now Greater London), the youngest of the three sons of William Sidwell Windram (1864-1930) and his second wife, Annie Windram née Ireland (1873-1951). His birth was registered in the 1st quarter of 1911 in the Brentford Registration District, Middlesex (now Greater London). On 11 March 1911 he was baptised at St Mary's Parish Church, South Ealing, where in the baptismal register his date of birth is confirmed, that his family lived at 24 Sunderland Road, Ealing, Middlesex (now Greater London) and that his father was a clerk.
He was shown as aged under 2 months on the census return form completed by his father on 2 April 1911. He was living in a five roomed property at 24 Sunderland Road, Ealing, with his parents, his brother John Herbert Windram (1909-1982), his half brother Emmanuel William Windram (1892-1917) - a shop assistant and his half sister Maud Mary Windram (1897-2009) - a scholar. His father listed himself as an army pensioner (who had served in the 5th Dragoon Guards) and a solicitor's clerk's messenger.
He was described as aged 10 years, 4 months, and in whole time education on the census return form completed by his father on 19 June 1921. He was still residing in the five roomed property at 24 Sunderland Road, Ealing, with his parents, his brother John Herbert Windram who was also in whole time education, together with a female boarder. His father showed himself as a postal clerk employed by Radcliffes & Hood, solicitors, at 28 Old Queen Street, London, SW1.
In April 1925 he was appointed as an indoor boy messenger in London's Postal Service and in August 1929 he was promoted to the grade of sorter in West London's Postal Service.
The 1939 England and Wales register shows him still living at 24 Sunderland Road, Ealing, with his widowed mother and his occupation is listed as a Post Office sorter.
He married Ellen Toft in the 3rd quarter of 1940 in the Surrey North Eastern Registration District and their son, Rodney James Windram (1943-2022), was born on 31 March 1943, his birth being registered in the 2nd quarter of 1943 in the Staines Registration District, Middlesex (now Surrey).
He joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, service number 1287125, and was attached to No.10 Squadron, Bomber Command. On 8 November 1942, as a Sergeant, he took off, aged 31 years, from RAF Melbourne, East Yorkshire, as one of the seven crew members in a Handley Page Halifax MkII bomber aeroplane, serial number DT557, markings ZA-U, on a mine laying operation over the North Sea. His aeroplane failed to return and as he has no known grave he is commemorated on of the Runnymede Air Forces Memorial, Coopers Hill Lane, Englefield Green, Egham, TW20 0LB.
Administration of his estate was granted to his widow on 18 November 1943 who was living at 30 Shortlands Road, Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey and his effects totalled £327-6s-0d.
He is shown as 'WINDRAM F. J.' on the Western Postal District war memorial in Mount Pleasant, London, WC1. He is also commemorated on the , on , International Bomber Command Centre, Canwick Avenue, Lincoln, LN4 2HQ and on .
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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