99 'Lost' Names

A Fleet Air Arm man is one of the ninety nine ‘lost’ names from the British Roll of Honour for the Battle of Normandy being engraved on the British Normandy Memorial to join those of the 22,442 names already inscribed there. The names will be engraved on a special “Addenda” panel on the west wall of ‘Memorial Court’ where they will be dedicated as part of the D-Day 82 commemorations in June 2026.
The missing name was Temporary Sub Lieutenant(A) Robert Welsh Irons RNVR (21), the Observer in an 854 Naval Air Squadron Avenger, Serial Number JZ452. The aircraft was operating from Hawkinge in Kent and failed to return from patrol over the Pas-de-Calais area, Northern France on 7 June 1944 (D-Day + 1).
Avenger, Serial Number JZ452, was piloted by Temporary Sub Lieutenant(A) Raymond Douglas White RNVR (20),  and Leading Airman Leonard Charles Green (19),  was the Telegraphist Air Gunner. All three aircrew are listed on the Lee-on-Solent Memorial, Hampshire and now on the British Normandy Memorial, Ver-sur-Mer, France overlooking 'Gold Beach'. 
The family home of 'Bobby' Irons was at Whitehall Villa, 1 Robert Street, Newport-on-Tay, Scotland. He had attended Bell Baxter School, Cupar and had gained a Diploma in Electrical Engineering at Dundee Technical College. He volunteered for the Fleet Air Arm, and trained at Arbroath and at Lewiston, Maine, USA.