Heroes of the Bahamas

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As we commemorate Memorial Day, we are reminded of the profound sacrifices made by countless brave individuals who have served to protect our freedoms and uphold the values we hold dear. Let us take a moment to reflect on their unwavering commitment and express our deepest gratitude for their service.

William Alfonso GEORGE Farrington (1921-1988) was born in Nassau, Bahamas to William Henry Farrington and Inez Minna Minns. George, 6’7” in stature, was an excellent mechanic. He was sent to Canada to join the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II repairing airplanes.
Photo courtesy of Ilene Sova

William Alfonso GEORGE Farrington (1921-1988). Standing far right in the Royal Canadian Air Force 1943.
Photo courtesy of Ilene Sova

World War II Pilots
Front L-R: Hartis Harvin Thompson (1915-1997) and Philip Farrington
Back: L-R: Garth Johnson, George Winthrop Moseley (1919-1944), and Warren Maurice Lightbourn (1919-1945)
Source: Bahamas Handbook kindly shared by Ann Morley Carmel

Warrant Office Basil Lawrence Ivan Johnson (1920) & Squadron Leader David Lester Brown (1915)
The Tribune – November 2019

John Chrystom Pericles Maillis (1915-1987), David Lester Brown (1915-1994), John Maura (1913-2003),Cyril Fane Solomon (1918-2003), Alvin Ivor Thompson (1915-2002)

Osmond Fernander (1896-1980) was born in Nassau, Bahamas to James Robert Fernander and Agnes Augusta Hall. The All Bahamian C Company was responsible for delivering supplies loaded on mules and camels to the British troops fighting at Gaza. The photo shows Osmond with other Bahamian soldiers on their camels. Photo courtesy of Linda Lightbourn Couldridge

Osmond Fernander (1896-1980) was born in Nassau, Bahamas to James Robert Fernander and Agnes Augusta Hall.
Photo courtesy of Linda Lightbourn Couldridge

Mark Gordon Johnson (1922-1987) was born in Nassau, New Providence to Bertram Mark Lorrin Johnson and Gladys Louise Doris Kelly.
Photo courtesy of Julie Johnson-McKenzie

L – R Gordon Patrick ‘Pat’ Malone, Mark Gordon Johnson, George Stanley Burroughs, & Ray Reyes – Egypt 1945
Photo courtesy of Michael Malone

Three Maillis brothers who served in World War II – John Chrystom Pericles Maillis, Alexander Pericles Maillis and Anthony Pericles Maillis – children of John Pericles Maillis and Calliope Kallitse.

Charles KENNETH Knowles (1918-1973) was born in Nassau, Bahamas to Joseph SAMUEL ‘Sammy’ Knowles and Bessie Carmen Pyfrom.
Photo courtesy of Sue Smollett Webster

Leonard Joseph Knowles (1916-1999) was born in Nassau, Bahamas to Joseph SAMUEL ‘Sammy’ Knowles and Bessie Carmen Pyfrom.
Photo courtesy of Sue Smollett Webster

Hartis Harvin Thompson (1915-1997) was born in Hope Town, Abaco to William Maurice Thompson and Lena Muriel Albury. He joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) in World War II. He was the first Bahamian Director of Civil Aviation in the Bahamas.

William Maurice Thompson Jr (1923-1966) was born in Hope Town, Abaco to William Maurice Thompson and Lena Muriel Albury. He joined the Royal Navy (RN) in World War II. He was assigned to the North Atlantic Theatre aboard a destroyer based in England, Scotland and Iceland before a transfer to the Far East where he was posted successively in India, Burma and Ceylon.

Leonard Maurice Thompson (1917-2008) was born in Hope Town, Abaco to William Maurice Thompson and Lena Muriel Albury. Leonard joined the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in World War II. His book *I Wanted Wings: The Autobiography of Leonard M. Thompson* is an excellent and moving account of his heroism.

Richard Chester Thompson (1922-2012) was born in Hope Town, Abaco to William Maurice Thompson and Lena Muriel Albury. He served in the British Royal Navy in World War II. At age 23, Chester commanded the Landing Craft Tank (LCT) 527. It was involved in the Battle of Normandy on June 6, 1944.

John Reuben ‘Johnny’ Roberts (1915-2004) and former Green Turtle Cay buddies, brothers Gussie and Jack Roberts, volunteered to serve in World War II. Reuben joined the U.S. Army on November 11 at the age of 28. After training in southern England, he was deployed to Easy Red, Normandy.

Berlin AXCEL Roberts (1935-2020) was born in Guana Cay, Abaco to Victor Lewis Roberts and Clara Iola Albury.

Jack William Roberts (1932-2008) was born in Guana Cay, Abaco to Thomas Tweedie Roberts and Agnes Bessie Sands. Jack is pictured below (R) with cousin Berlin AXCEL Roberts (1935-2020) (L) in the Merchant Marines.
Photo courtesy of Dianne Charyna

Gordon Stanley Mather (1915) was born in Nassau, New Providence to Leonard Stanley Mather and Gracie Maud Albury.

Harold Leonard Adderley (1915-1973) was born in Nassau, Bahamas to George Harold Campbell Adderley and Eugenia Beatrice Kemp.

George WARREN Sawyer (1922-2007) was born in Marsh Harbour, Abaco to George Maurdee Sawyer and Mary Annis Roberts.
Photo courtesy of Margo Albury

Robert Everett Sawyer (1917-1984) was born in Marsh Harbour, Abaco to George Maurdee Sawyer and Mary Annis Roberts.
Photo courtesy of Margo Albury

Glanville Bethel World War ll veteran from Cat Island, Bahamas
Photo courtesy of Liz Somaru

Women’s Auxiliary Air Force
Photo courtesy of Michael Brown

L-Yeoman 1st Class George Sawyer of the United States Navy
R-Private 1st Class Leslie Sawyer of the United States Marines
Twin sons of William Ancil Sawyer and Edith Russell.

L to R – Cyril Fane Solomon, David Lester Brown, John Chrystom Pericles Maillis, John Maura.
Source: 1993 Bahamas Handbook. Special thanks to Marion Adair for sharing the photograph.

Kirkwood Franklin Parks (1911-1978) was born in Nassau, Bahamas to George Franklin ‘Frank’ Parks and Olive Fay Pyfrom.
Photo courtesy of Sue Smollett Webster

Donald Justin Sands (1924-2014) was born in Hope Town, Abaco to William HARTLEY Sands and Florence Estelle ‘Florrie’ Thompson. In 1948, he married Eveyln Candace Sands (1926-2004) daughter of William Clifford Sands and Getrude Cash.

Cyril Fane Solomon (1918-2003) was born in Nassau, New Providence to Cyril Fane ‘Pot’ Solomon and Edith Maclure.

Honoring Those Born Abroad with Bahamian Lineage

Charles Donald Albury (1920-2009) was born in Miami, Florida, to Harbour Island native Joseph Sr and Mary Olive Millard. He was a World War II United States Army Air Corps Aviator. He was the co-pilot of the B-29 Superfortress bomber “Bockscar” that dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan on August 9, 1945 during World War II. Following the war, he flew planes for Eastern Airlines and eventually co-managed Eastern’s Airbus A-300 training program before retiring in 1980. He was the last surviving crew member to have seen both atomic blasts.

Wilbur Haldane Jordan (1915) in the Parish of St Lucy, Barbados – the son of Oscar Fitz James Jordan (1874-1920) and Albertha Louise Archer. He married Remilda Eloise Minnis, daughter of Samuel J Minnis, 30 January 1938, in St Agnes’ Anglican Church, Nassau, Bahamas. He was a Police Constable and lived in the Police Barracks.

Wilbur served in World War II in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and gave his life on a mission to Bochum in a Halifax II aircraft (JD 145). The captain and crew set off from Linton on Ouse in Yorkshire at 22:57 on the 12 June 1943. The rest of the 78 Squadron dropped their bombs over the target at approx. 01:40 on 13 June 1943, but JD 145 was shot down and lost in the sea off the Dutch coast at 01:35 a.m. He was 28 years of age. Sargeant Jordan is commemorated on Panel 155, the Air Forces Memorial at Runnymede, Surrey, England. Photo and bio courtesy of Ann Morley Carmel

Lester Gilbert Lowe (1921-2009) was born in Miami, Florida to James Curtis Lowe and Grace F Lund.
Lester is the grandson of Green Turtle Cay natives Jabez Gilbert Lowe Jr and Laura Beatrice Lowe.
Lester enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1942. He was selected to train in the U.S. Air Force in 1943, and during World War II served in the 7th Bombardment group in Southeast Asia. Based in Miami, Lester’s civilian career spanned 35 years – flying as First Officer for 5 years, then Captain for 30 years, with both National Airlines and Pan American Airways. He retired in 1981.
Photo courtesy of Linda Evette Lowe Hariouk

Merrill Filmore Cates (1922-2010) was born in Miami, Florida to Leonard Leroy Cates and Charity Irene Watkins.

Robert Ralph ‘Bobby’ Kemp (1931-1989) was born in Key West, Florida to George Franklin Kemp and Mary Magdalena Quesada. In 1958, he married Concepcion Anisia Cruz. Bobby is the great grandson of William Kemp and Amelia Lowe.
Photo courtesy of Pattie Kemp

Leo Jerome Wiggins (1899-1918) was born in Key West, Florida to Licurgus Jerome Wiggins and Charlotte Louella Sawyer. Leo served as Private in the First World War until his death from pneumonia on October 4th, 1918 at the age of 19. Leo’s maternal grandparents are Abaco’s William Henry Sawyer and Cinderella Narcissa Curry

Sergeant Lloyd Henderson Fraser (1924-1944) son of Scottish missionary James Fraser and Hope Town native Vera Gladys Weatherford-Malone. Lloyd served in the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II. On August 11, 1944, twenty year old Lloyd perished over London.

Rayford Morris Futch, Jr. (1921-1989) was born in Charlotte Harbour, Florida to Rayford Morris Futch, Sr. (1902-1977) and Pearl Isabell Lowe (1902-1993). He served in the Navy during World War II with the designation AMM1C. Ray Jr is the grandson of Green Turtle Cay native Thomas Wilson Lowe (1866-1943) and Eliza Matilda Stirrup (1872-1961).
Photo courtesy of Marvine Futch Dethloff

Charles Hamilton Russell (1931-1993) was born in Key West, FL to Charles Leonard Russell and Edith Marion Lowe. He was stationed in Germany. His maternal grandfather is Green Turtle Cay native Walter James Lowe Sr.
Photo courtesy of Cathy Russell Fallon

Mary Pauline Brown (1919-2011) was born Mount Denis, Canada to Henry Venn Brown (1893-1977) of Nassau, Bahamas and Margaret ‘Maude’ McPherson (1891-1957) of Kent, England. She served in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force as a radio operator during World War II.
Photo courtesy of Michael Brown.

Virgil Scott Lowe (1950-2008) was born in Miami, Florida to William Herman Lowe and Elizabeth M ‘Betty’ Hull. Virgil served in the Marine Reserves for six years. Virgil is the great-grandson of Alfred Percival Lowe, Sr from Green Turtle Cay, Abaco.
Photo courtesy of Pam Bolash Lowe

Berlin Bernard Saunders, Sr (1895-1969) with his two sons Jack (Navy) and Berlin Jr (Marine) who served during World War II. Berlin Sr is the son of Green Turtle Cay natives John Patrick “Pump” Saunders and Mary Jane Lowe.
Photo courtesy of Patrick J Saunders

James Francis ‘Frank’ Wright SFC (1933-2003) was born in Stuart, Florida to Leland Wright and Leath Gertrude Fisher. His maternal grandfather is Green Turtle Cay native Frank Fisher (1879-1935). Frank served in Vietnam.
Photo courtesy of Russ Russell

Edmund Russell Wright Sr SSgt (1935-2010) was born in Stuart, Florida to Leland Wright and Leath Gertrude Fisher. His maternal grandfather is Green Turtle Cay native Frank Fisher (1879-1935). He served as Aviation I
Instrumentation tech for over 10 years.
Photo courtesy of Russ Russell

Charles Lindy Griffin (1927-2006) was born in West Palm Beach, Florida to Eleuthera native Albert Berlin Griffin and Mary Jane Fox. He was a proud veteran of WWII and post # 4141.

Huel Eugene Baker Jr (1925-2005) was born in Key West, Florida to Huel Eugene Baker Sr and Virtus Europa Turbyfill.
Huel Jr is the great grandson of Green Turtle Cay native William Penny Baker and Priscilla Jane Curry.
He served his country in the United States Navy in WWII on LST-820 in the Pacific and was a member of the U.S. LST Association. He was also a Shipmate of the United States Navy Memorial Foundation.

LT Matthew Ira “Matt” Lowe (1977-2011) – Find a Grave Memorial

3 Replies to “Heroes of the Bahamas”

amcarmel1 says:

May 29, 2025 at 5:49 pm

Sub Lieutenant David Lightbourn, RNVR, son of Percy Lightbourn.

Flight Lieutenant R W F Wightman – RAF – husband of Leone Lightbourn, daughter of Percy Lightbourn. Stationed in the Bahamas and long-time resident of Nassau.

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1. Out Island Boy says:
  
  June 14, 2025 at 10:36 am
  
  Would have a photo of him?
  
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Michael Berry says:

May 25, 2026 at 10:44 am

Joan Stratton whose father was a dentist was married to my brother Brice Berry.

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LOWE, James Homer (1919-1991)

James HOMER Lowe was born December 11, 1923, on Green Turtle Cay, Abaco to John Aquilla Lowe (1858-1925) and Mildred Elizabeth Pearce (1881?-1956). His siblings included... John Estwick (1913) Ashlin Lowe (1918) Iris Isabell (1923) His half-siblings included... Osgood Joseph (1886) Edwin (1888) Mira (1890) Howard (1898) In February 1945,…

CURRY, Miriam Irene (1885-1975)

Miriam Irene Curry was born August 6, 1885, on Green Turtle Cay, Abaco to Hezekiah Curry (1855-1948) and Margaret Ivenia 'Muggie' Saunders (1855-1950). Her siblings included… Charles Wheelock (1878) Sybil Lucile (1891) On July 26, 1905, in Key West, Florida, Miriam married Joseph William Albury (1877-1941) from Harbour Island, Eleuthera. Their children included… Raymond…

LOWE, Amy Isabell (1910-1993)

Amy Isabell Lowe was born on June 12, 1910, in Green Turtle Cay, Abaco to John Lenward Lowe (1874-1913) and Masie Isabel Sawyer (1890-1950). Her siblings included… Charlotte Elvira (1906) In January 1937, Amy married Albert Walton Roberts (1910-1978) son of James Ralph Roberts (1878-1952) and Lula Louise Sawyer (1885-1938). Her children included… Shirley…