Sergeant Stanley Keith Holland (Keith) of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, younger son of Alfred and Ellen Holland of 78 Cravells Road, Harpenden died as the result of an accident. He was just 21 years of age.

Keith was the Wireless Operator/Air Gunner on board a Handley Page Hampden, serial number P5318, of 16 Operational Training Unit from RAF Upper Heyford in Oxfordshire. The aircraft crashed into trees near Bloxham village killing all 3 men on board.

Born in Harpenden, he attended the local Council Schools, and on leaving, became a messenger and later a postman at Harpenden Post Office.

Volunteering for service in the R.A.F. in August 1940, he qualified as a wireless operator and air gunner and was promoted to the rank of sergeant.

His brother Ronald was a driver in the R.A.S.C. Mr A.J. Harper, Head Postmaster at St Albans, Mr H.J.W. Cross Postmaster at Harpenden and members of the staffs of the post offices and telephone exchange were present at the funeral. 

Messrs A Jennings, P. Windmill, T Missenden, and F A Munt - postmen at Harpenden – acted as pall-bearers.

The internment was preceded by a service in the Southdown-road Methodist Church, where Keith was a scholar in the Sunday School as a boy.

The mourners were Mr and Mrs Holland (parents), Driver R. Holland (brother). Mr and Mrs H Peck (brother-in-law and sister), Miss Jessie Lines (deceased’s fiancée), Mr and Mrs F Stock, Mr and Mrs A Holland, Mrs A Archer, Messrs J and H Elborn and Messrs H and A Holland (uncles and aunts), Mrs A Toyer, Miss P Holland and Mr W Elborn (cousins) Mr and Mrs H Burns, Mrs Lines and Mrs W Lines. 

Among the funeral tributes were those from officers, NCOs, and aircraftsmen of deceased’s unit, the Postmaster and staff of Harpenden Post Office and Southdown-road Methodist Church.