MY WAR DEAD
CALDER, James Henry William - died 28th July 1944.
James Henry William Calder was born in Paddington, London, in the latter part of 1914, being the only known child of Francis Alexander Calder, a Police officer, and his wife who had been born Frances Maria Ottaway. The family lived in Bradiston Road, Kilburn, for many years, at least from 1918 to 1939. James being recorded there with his parents in the 1936 electoral roll.
Nothing is currently known of James' life before war broke out in 1939 and it seems that he joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. His service details are unknown although he was appointed a temporary sub-lieutenant in September 1943. In July 1944 he was serving on the escort aircraft carrier, HMS Shah, as a member of 851 Naval Air Squadron, the ship being deployed on anti-submarine and convoy defence duties in the Indian Ocean. On 5th July 1944, the ship left Colombo after a short lay-over and continued its operations between Colombo and Cochin. On 28th July, James Calder was to fly as observer on the squadron's Avenger, JZ119; tragically, the plane stalled as it was waved off and crashed onto the quarterdeck, its fuel tanks exploded and both James Calder and the pilot, sub-lieutenant R A McCartney of the Royal New Zealand Navy were killed.
James Calder is commemorated on the Lee-on-Solent memorial to those men of the Fleet Air Arm who died in World War 2 but have no known grave. James does not appear to have married. He did leave a Will, probate of which was granted to his father on 6th December 1944; the estate was valued at just over £232.
James Henry William Calder was my 4th cousin, twice removed; he was also the 1st cousin of Edmund Robert Morton Calder who died a few days later.