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Enid Aston Born April 1924 - Died June 2020

Ronald Moth Born December 1926 - Died March 1999

Ron was number two on the family list and he died in 1999 aged 73. He was married to Alice Rose who died in 1993. They did not have any children and lived in Great Leighs most of their married life. Ron was also a great traveller and he accompanied me on three of my trips to Australia to catch up with our sisters. He was a keen motorcyclist in his younger days and also a member of the Leighs Rifle Club for many years.

Enid Aston (Ene) was the eldest of the Moth siblings and she died in June 2020 at the age of 96. She was married to Jim and they had three children. Martin, Rob and Dot, seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Enid lived "over the road" from Mary and I in the village of Great Leighs. Married for over 50 years they lived in places as far apart as Wiltshire and Toronto in Canada. Enid liked to travel and had visited our sisters in Australia on four occasions. Husband Jim passed away on February 14, 2004, aged 79.

Alan Moth Born April 1928 - Died October 1958

Robin Moth Born February 1931

Rob is my elder brother by five years. They have two children, Andrew and Nicola, and three grandchildren by Nicola, Conner, Aysha and Cody and are both retired and live in the village of Gosfield. In 2002 along with myself and sister Enid they travelled to Australia for a family reunion with Cherry and Jennifer and their families. In his retirement Rob enjoyed spending time in his well-kept garden but now in 2023 he reached the ripe old age of 92 he has slowed down a bit and enjoys the company of his grandkids and also his great-grandkids.

Unfortunately brother Alan, number three in the pecking order, tragically died as a result of a car accident in 1958 at the age of 30. He had been married to Janet Sutton for just two years before the accident. It was Alan (Bruv) who taught me to ride my first bike and he was also a keen motorcyclist before he bought the car that he had the accident in. He has been greatly missed over the years. His wife, Janet, later remarried to Trevor and they have always kept in touch over the years, Janet died in 2020.

Cherry Davies Born October 1939

Cherry is number six of seven in the family and she reached the age of 84 in 2023. Chel emigrated to Australia in 1970 with her first husband, Dave Dove, and their three children, Michael, Neil and Tony. She is now married to Brian Davies and they lived in a place called John’s River which is north of Sydney up the New South Wales Coast until 2023. They used to live in place called Minto but sold up to go on extended trip around Australia before ending up in Kempsey and then finally in John’s River. Unfortunately Cherry is now suffering from dementia and is living in a home.

Jennifer Rehfeldt Born February 1943

Jennifer is the youngest member of the family . . . number seven of seven. She was married to Wally for over 40 years and they have two boys, Richard and Allan. Sadly Wally passed away in March 2007 after being diagnosed with cancer in August 2006 aged almost 70. Jen emigrated with a friend to Australia in 1964 and she met Wally out there and got married and never came back! She lives near Sydney in a town called Campbelltown and retired in 2011. Her first visit home was in 1985 and this was the first time I had seen her again for over 21 years. But we have made up for it since with many visits back and forth!

Conrad Moth (1988-1969) Dorothy Parton (1899-1965)

MUM & DAD

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BROTHERS & SISTERS

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During the First World War Dad served as a 2nd Lieutenant (RAF France) and he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Croix de Geurre.

Gordon Rose (Died 1979) Rose Linnett (Died 1981)

MARY’S FAMILY

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Sheila is the oldest of Mary's siblings and she reached the age of 91 in August 2023. She was married to Alfred Dearman who unfortunately passed away in 1993. They were married in 1957 and first lived in South Woodham Ferrers before moving to Rettendon and then to Great Totham. Sheila now lives in Wickham Bishops, near Witham. She worked at the Emporium in Maldon well into her eighties!

Sheila Dearman Born August 1932

Mary’s Dad worked at Hoffmann’s in Chelmsford for many years and on his retirement he then worked as a Sales Assistant at Grippers, the hardware merchants. In Chelmsford High Street. Her Mum was a housekeeper at Doe’s Farm near Broads Green, Little Waltham, for many years also. They lived at Park View, Little Waltham, where Mary was born and were regular attendees at the United Reformed Church in the village which is where Mary and I got married.

James was number two in the Rose family and was born on February 26, 1939, and died in November 2023. He and Ruby were married in 1960 and they resided in Little Waltham. They have two children, Julia and David, and three grandchildren, Daniel, by Julia and Gary, and Charlie and Amelia by David and Claire and one great granddaughter by Daniel and his partner Taylor. Julia married Gary McGowan in February 1988 and David married Claire Godbold in August 2002. Tragically after a short illness Julia died in hospital on October 14, 2016. She was just 50 years of age.

James Rose Born February 1939 - Died November 2023

On the night of 4-5 November these officers started out to bomb a railway station but after two hours they were compelled to return owing to engine trouble. Obtaining another machine they again set out although from the weather chart they realised that there was every probability of a gale before morning. Reaching the objective they obtained three direct hits. On the return journey they met the storm and landed at the aerodrome in a 60 miles per hour gale after a flight of six hours and 15 minutes in addition to the two hours flight on their first attempt. it is difficult to speak too highly of the fine spirit of determination and devotion to duty displayed by these two officers on this occasion.

From the London Gazette, February 8, 1919 (page 2043): Joint Citation with Lieutenant J. R. SMITH