John Melvin Phipps Forward (1916 - 1997)

Born 1916 in Christchurch, Hampshire, England

Husband of Nancy Grace Augusta (Wake) Forward AC GM — married Dec 1957 (to 19 Aug 1997) in London, England

Died 19 Aug 1997 at about age 81 in Port Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia

Biography

John Melvin Phipps Forward was born in 1916 at Christchurch, Hampshire, England. His parents were Charles Forward and Emily Phipps.^[1] His mother died in 1932.

He served as an aircraftman in the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War. On 9th December 1941 his commissioning as a Pilot Officer was gazetted and he became a bomber pilot.^[2] In February 1949 he transferred to the RAF Secretarial Branch.^[3]

John married Second World War Resistance fighter, Nancy Fiocca nee Wake, in December 1957 at Westminster, London.^[4] They met immediately prior to attending the wedding of mutual friends and themselves married one week later. John was stationed at Malta at the time. Nancy was en route from Sydney to London.^[5]

John and Nancy returned to London in 1959. They later retired to Port Macquarie, New South Wales.

He passed away, aged 81 years, on 19th August 1997 at Port Macquarie. His ashes were scattered at Port Macquarie. Afterward, Nancy returned to London to live.

Sources

1. ↑ UK FreeBMD Birth Index Jun qtr 1916, vol 2b, page 1238
2. ↑ London Gazette 9 Dec 1941
3. ↑ London Gazette 19 Apr 1949
4. ↑ UK FreeBMD Marriage Index Dec qtr 1957, vol 5c, page 607
5. ↑ Wake, Nancy. The White Mouse. Sun, Sydney, 1985. ISBN 0 7251 0755 3