Elson, James Frederick
Killed in Action 1942-08-07

Birth Date: 1918
Born:
Home: Ayr, Ontario
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: Unknown
Service
RN FAA
Unit
809 Sqn- Squadron (FAA)
Base
HMS Victorious
Rank
Leading Airman
Position
Leading Airman
Service Numbers
78368
Home

First Burial

Fleet Air Arm. Sergeant JF Elson (RN)(Can) and S/Lt CG Taylor (RN) were missing presumed killed when their Fairey Fulmar II aircraft X8747 was lost on sea patrol from HMS Victorious
They have no known graves and are commemorated on the Lee-on Solent Memorial
Fairey Fulmar

(Source Wikipedia)
Developed from the P.4/34 specification Fairey two seat light bomber, the FULMAR was created to satisfy the Royal Navy requirement for a two seat carrier borne fighter. A float plane version was designed but never built and plans for the Danish Navy to produce them under licence also halted with the outbreak of World War II.
The name FULMAR was decided in 1938 but not referred to publicly until the type entered service in 1940.
FULMAR aircraft first saw active service in September 1940, against the Italian airforce, in defence of the Malta Convoys, claiming 10 Italian bomber aircraft by the end of October.
FULMAR aircraft were used by 20 Fleet Air Arm Squadrons acting as support air cover in many key areas of World War II, such as Taranto, Petsamo, Russian convoys, North Africa, Italy and shadowing the German battleship Bismarck.
The FAIREY FULMAR was also used successfully for night intruder operations and night fighter trainingFleet Air Arm Museum
.