Two members of the Sturt family of Leatherhead, John and George, are among the service dead of WWII but are not included on the Town War Memorial. Both were officers in the Royal Artillery.

They are commemorated on a family grave in the churchyard of SS Mary & Nicholas Leatherhead. Susan Howatch, the novelist, is the daughter of Captain George Sturt.

The wreath was put back where it was found after this photo was taken on 1st August 2004.

Eric Evans writes: In researching my genealogy, I've been working on my grandmother's brother, [Joseph Andrescavage] who was a gunner on a B-24 bomber that crashed in China. All aboard were killed. His squadron was being used to fly fuel and supplies from India over the Himalayas to the Chinese and United States Army Air Forces based in China.

I've got a copy of the aircraft accident report and, in addition to the 8 man crew, it lists a Captain GS Sturt, Royal Artillery, serial number 156965.

I've been in contact with his daughter, Susan Howatch, who says that George's brother John Sturt was prisoner of the Japanese. He was killed when American planes bombed a Japanese transport ship that turned out to be carrying PoWs.

Captain George Stanford Sturt's grave in Sai Wan Cemetery, Hong Kong "Born in Epsom Surrey, England, he was the son of Francis Edward and Zara Beatrice Irene Sturt. He was killed when American B-24J bomber serial number 44-40846 crashed twenty miles south of Luliang, China. All aboard were killed. The aircraft was part of the 10th Air Force, 7th Bombardment Group, 9th Bombardment Squadron. The Squadron was being used to fly fuel and supplies from India over the Himalayas to the Chinese and United States Army Air Forces based in China. Sturt, a member of the British Royal Artillery, was flying as a member of the crew in the capacity of qualified Armorer-Gunner-Observer. A stockbroker in civilian life, Sturt was survived by his wife Ann and daughter Susan."