War hero schooled in resort has died

War hero Owen Parry, who was educated in Blackpool

Squadron Leader Owen Parry signed up for the RAF in October 1941 and flew more than 175 successful missions in Japan, India and Burma during his illustrious military career.

He died on April 19 at the age of 93 .

Owen was born at Middleton, Lancashire, in 1922 and educated at Blackpool Grammar School.

He joined the Second World War effort at the age of just 19, when he was trained as a fighter pilot in America.

He joined the No 11 Squadron in India and was quickly transferred onto an airfield on the Imphal Plain to combat advancing Japanese troops.

The enemy troops were fierce, and the squadron faced further danger in the form of vicious monsoon weather.

Three cannon-armed Hurricane planes containing Owen’s fellow servicemen were lost after flying into a violent thundercloud.

Fighting continued until 1944, when the Japanese troops found their supplies running short and decided to withdraw.

Owen and his squadron moved to forward to attack Japanese airstrips. After almost a year of operations, he the DFC for his bravery. The citation concluded that “the very high total of operational flying hours of this pilot represents distinguished flying of the highest order”.

After the war, he trained as a trading standards officer, and became head of Trading Standards for East Sussex.

His wife Dorothy died in 2007.