Regiment: R.A.F..
Died: 18 January 1944 aged 22 in Italy. Killed in action.
Battle: Bomber Command. Cemetery: Naples War Cemetery II. S. 6.
Son of Lt.-Col. Henry Hemsted and Muriel Hope Hemsted, of Naivasha, Kenya and Hilton Park, Wolverhampton.
Hist. VI. School Prefect. Cricket XL.
18 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
The squadron flew Blenheim bombers and from 1943–45 supported the allied advance through Italy.
He was the pilot in Boston 'K' Z.2234. He took off from Pomigliano at 03:30 on the night of the 17/18th January 1944 but crashed shortly after take-off with all four member of the crew killed. (F/L R.H.R. Hemsted, F/S H.F. Tolliday, P/O R. Hepworth, F/S T. Campbell).
18 Squadron operation records: AIR 27_245_1
Detailed records: AIR 27_245_2