Alexander Jeremiah Shirm was born in 1917, son of Charles William and Caroline Mary Emily Shirm, of Birkdale, Southport, Lancashire. He attended the King George V School in Southport.

Alexander joined the Royal Air Force and became a fighter pilot. He was stationed with 3 Squadron which operated Hurricans from Hunsdon. 3 Squadron was a designated night fighter squadron, flying Intruder missions over occupied Europe.

On 28/29 July 1942, F/S Shirm was part of a 3 squadron detachment that flew an Intruder mission over the Netherlands.

3 Squadron

A total of 21 Hurricanes, 7 Bostons and 6 Mosquito's were sent over. One Hurricane reported a engagemnet with a German Ju-88. However, two Hurircanes, both of 3 squadron went missing. One of them was flown by F/S Shirm. The circumstances of his death are not known. The other 3 squadron pilot that went missing is Sgt Gawith. He went down over the North Sea and remains missing to this day.

F/S Alexander Shirm buried at Ouddorp General Cemetery, Cemetery, Row 2. Grave 6.

(picture courtesy of Wim Bastiaanse)
 

Ouddorp, The Netherlands

See also:
 

All Casualties of the 3 squadron buried in The Netherlands
 

Sources and Acknowledgements:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Gerrit Zwanenburg, En Nooit Was Het Stil, Vol. I, ny, Dutch Air Force

Directions to Ouddorp General Cemetery

Posted 26 May 2009

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This website is dedicated to the men and women who died and/or are buried in The Netherlands during World War II.

 

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