West Bromwich, then in Staffordshire, was the birthplace of William Howard Machin in 1920. In September 1939 he joined the RAFVR to train as an air gunner. When he completed his training he was posted to No 264 Squadron at Hornchurch, which happened on 22 August 1940.
He was flying with Pilot Officer R S Gaskell in Defiant L 6965 on the 24th when they were shot down by Bf 109s of JG 51 over Hornchurch. Machin, aged 20, died of his wounds, but Gaskell escaped with only slight injuries. By this time the terribly vulnerable Defiant was nearing the end of its daylight role in the Battle of Britain.
Machin is buried in Handsworth Cemetery, Birmingham.
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