George Gooch Machine Gunned While Fishing Ww.2

A Memory of Barbican.

I would like to dedicate this story to The Memory of my Mum Elsie Merridew nee Gooch,who often told us this story of how her dad died while out fishing during WW2,we as young children never took much notice of this,but now my parents have passed away and being that much older decided to phone the Plymouth Records office and made an appointment to see my grandfathers records.We were able to obtain a copy of the record which reads::Death due to War Operations 12-6-41while fishing on the boat The Pansy The Homarge Plymouth.Date 12-6-41 at 10am Male 66yrs of age,cause of death machine gunning.He had also a young lad helping on board who also died. George Charles Gooch 8a Moon St.Flats married to my Grandmother(who had to identify the body which was laid out on The Barbican. Report goes on to say 5ft9ins medium build,dark trousers,fishermans Jersey ,dark knitted Jersey ,knee boots,white shirt,with blue stripes,vest.Hair grey,moustache grey,complexion light,nose broad,shape of face full.Effects found on body Gold signet ring third finger left hand (unable to remove)leather purse containing 4/6d silver,1/2 d in copper,small red penknife,white hand kerchief,small gold earrings in each ear (unable to remove),dark blue and red knecker chief.George Charles Gooch was buried in Ebford Cemetery in a communal grave along with so many who died during that raid on Plymouth,his name along with so many is on The War Memorial beside the mass grave. I would just like to add that I booked the date to go with my two brothers and sister in law to the records office,only to descover that the time was 10am- 12-6-09. Our grandfather was killed on 12-6-41 at 10am:::::::: COINCIDENCE?

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