This is the story of Frank Burrows Grandfather, F/Lt Frank Jezzard MBE. The picture below was taken in November 1913:

577SAN - Frank Jezzard 2

‘I believe Frank was born in 39 Cattle Market, Sandwich.

581SAN - 37-45 Cattle Mkt. Sandwich

I don’t know the reason, but I am aware that he traveled to Calais when he was 13 for some kind of training, this would have been around 1904. I know he started in the Royal Navy, but it was his work in deciphering German morse code in about 1916 that earned him the MBE from King George V:

71SAN - Frank Burrows - MBE Certificate

Also seen here are my Grandfather’s medals, a large and small set:

578SAN - Frank Jezzard WW1 Medals 1

579SAN - Frank Jezzard WW1 Medals 2

Frank married in May 1916 and then progressed to the Royal Flying Corps. a precursor to the RAF where he stayed until his untimely death in March 1928 studying for his night flying license. He graduated to the rank of Flight Lieutenant and he used to fly over his wife’s (my Grandmother) house and stop and start his aircraft to the Morse of ‘F’ ! He also did the loop the loop!

Below is an image of my Grandfather’s electrical wiring of an aircraft certificate which was issued a month before his untimely death in 1928.

583SAN - Frank Jezzard RAF Certificate

Frank flew an Avro 504N single engine plane which I believe he was killed in.’

580SAN - Avro 504N

Frank died in Bedford in 1928 as a result of injuries from a plane crash.

Information and image courtesy of Frank Burrows

 

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