In memory of Herbert Reginald Neal
Herbert Reginald Neal lived with his parents Joseph and Isabella at Gwynfa, Cadnant Park, Conwy, writes Adrian Hughes. Joseph was a dispensing chemist with a shop at 12 Castle Street.
Known as Reginald, he was a Boy Scout with the Conwy Troop and attended junior school in Conwy. After passing the 11+ he went to John Bright Grammar School, Llandudno, and then studied chemistry at Nottingham University.
On graduation Reginald was employed by Savory and Moore, a chain of chemists which was well-known in the early 20th century. He managed the Haymarket shop before joining Squibbs Ltd, another pharmaceutical company, as a sales representative. In 1935, Reginald married Betty Evans of Deganwy. They had one son.
During the Second World War, Reginald volunteered for the RAF and trained as a navigator in South Africa before returning to the UK to undertake operational duties. He was posted to 49 Squadron, which flew Lancaster bombers out of RAF Fiskerton in Lincolnshire.
He and his crew were nearly at the end of their tour of duty when disaster struck on 19 July 1944. Along with other Lancasters from the squadron, they were tasked with a night time bombing mission to attack railway lines at Revigny, east of Paris. Sergeant Neal’s plane was shot down with the loss of all of its seven airmen. They are buried together at Herbise Churchyard in France. The 32-year-old is also commemorated at St John’s Methodist Church in Conwy.
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