LONG-FORGOTTEN photographs have revealed a friendship between two 16-year-old boys serving in the pre-war RAF that ended tragically.

Looking through photo albums which document Harry “Doc” Watson’s career in the RAF, his family of noticed two larger photos lying loose in the front of the album. One is of a gravestone from an RAF cemetery in Iraq, the other features a mound of floral tributes.

The gravestone was inscribed R Raw and his service number was very close to Harry Watson’s issued when he was an apprentice at the Technical Training School, RAF Halton.

After making enquiries with Trenchard Museum as the technical training school closed some years ago, it revealed the young man was called Robert Raw.

His home address at Stobart Terrace, Fishburn, was a mere stone’s throw away from Harry Watson’s home at Sedgefield Terrace. The village coal mine had been opened by Henry Stobart Ltd. in 1910, and the houses were to accommodate workers.

Robert started his RAF apprenticeship in September 1929, and Harry his in January 1930. The family realised there had been a much deeper friendship between the two boys: they were of almost the same age, and had lived close to each other in the Fishburn.

Robert Raw’s headstone carried the date of his death – June 2, 1935. He had passed away six months before Harry Watson had been posted to Iraq to serve the same base as Robert – RAF Hinaidi, just outside Bagdad.

No doubt when Harry Watson was posted to that base, he visited the RAF cemetery near the base to pay his respects to his friend. It transpired Robert Raw died in the RAF Hospital after being involved in an accident.

The cemetery still contains the remains of 299 service personnel but no headstones appear to be standing. Since conducing military action in the region there has been a great deal of antipathy towards the British, with well-documented reports of our military cemeteries being damaged. It appears the cemetery containing the remains of the service personnel from RAF Hinaidi have gone the same way.

The funeral wreath seems to be the florist’s attempt to make a wreath in the shape of the technical training school’s logo. All apprentices were issued with a circular brass badge with a four-bladed propeller set in the middle sewn onto their left sleeve.

Harry Watson had a distinguished career in the RAF and went on to serve with the Dambusters as Squadron Armourer.

After the war, the village of Fishburn collected money so that men returning had some money in their pocket. All 224 returnees received £5 from the village fund. Harry Watson’s name is on the list, and so are the names of J Raw and G Raw.

His son in law Cliff Thornton said: “I am advised by the CWGC that the cemetery is not being maintained at present. However, they are looking at future plans for the cemetery, so hopefully this is just a short term matter.”