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Samuel Long was born in Ossett on 7th May 1909 and baptised at South Ossett Christ Church on 23rd June 1909 when his parents were living at nearby Healey, Ossett. Samuel was the only surviving child of Horbury born rag grinder John Charles and Edith Long (nee Audsley) who married at St. Peter & St. Leonard Church, Horbury on 2nd August 1902. At the date of their marriage John Charles lived at Healey, South Ossett and his bride’s family home was at Jenkin Road, Horbury. The couple made their first home together at Healey where they are recorded as living in 1911. The couple had two children but sadly one had died leaving Samuel as their only child.
John Charles Long was one of four Ossett Long brothers, all of whom served and survived in The Great War 1914-1919. A fifth brother lived in Australia. John Charles, the second son, was 34 years of age when he volunteered for service in September 1914 by which time he was living in Batley. With his wife and young son, Samuel, the family had left Ossett in 1912, where John Charles worked the mills in Healey. He was formerly a member of the local Volunteers and Territorials, and the Ossett Ambulance Brigade, and served with the ambulance section of the army. In May 1915 he proceeded to the Dardanelles, and was there until October, when through contracting fever he was invalided to a hospital in the south of England. Having recovered in November 1915 he served in Egypt, where he was engaged in hospital duty at Port Said.
Top Left: James Long. Top Right, Thomas William Long. Bottom Left, John Charles Long and Bottom Right, Harry Long.
Read more about the Long Brothers in WWI at the website Ossett Heritage on this link;
The Ossett Long Brothers – Ossett Heritage
After WWI John Charles his wife Edith and only child Samuel were still living in Batley in 1921. It was here that Samuel, 21 years old, married Annie Donovan, aged 19 years in late 1930.The couple had five children from their marriage; Joan (born 1931), Joyce 1932, Shirley 1935, Patricia M.1941 and Maureen 1943. Samuel who had four uncles was the father five daughters.
In 1939 Samuel and his family were living at 38, Bunkers Lane, Staincliffe and Samuel worked as a foreman dyer for Messrs. J. Blackburn (Staincliffe); he was still living there when he enlisted in the Royal Air Force in July 1943. He was posted to serve with Bomber Command 15th Operational Training Unit at Harwell, Oxfordshire and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant during his seven short months in service.
The Batley News 4th March 1944
On 13th February 1944 Samuel and four colleagues went missing on a training flight when it is believed that their Vickers Wellington X crashed into the Irish Sea and the crew were lost without trace. The flight left Harwell at 18.52 with the intention of flying base- Taunton-Bideford- St.Mary’s –Skomer Island Fishguard- Worcester-base. At 22.10, the crew obtained a dix which showed they were more or less on track. Ten minutes later, the aircraft was plotted as showing broad Identification Friend of Foe emissions, after which nothing further was heard.
His fellow servicemen who also lost their lives on the fateful flight were Sergeants Sydney Booth (age unknown), Harold Chalton (aged 27), Ieuan Glynne Morgan (aged 22) and Peter Thomas Parker (aged 21). Sergeant Samuel Long was 34 years of age and left a widow, Annie, and five daughters aged between two and thirteen years old. Annie married Charles Bould in summer 1946.
Samuel Long was posthumously awarded the Air Crew Europe star, the 1939-45 Star and the 1939-1945 War Medal.
He is remembered with Honour at Batley Grammar School; Holy Trinity Church, Batley Carr Lychgate Memorial; Batley Carr Working Men’s Club and the Royal Air Forces Association Club, Batley.
He is commemorated on Panel 233 of the Air Forces Memorial at Runnymede. The Memorial bears the names of over 20,000 airmen who were lost in WWII who have no known graves. They served in all commands from Bombers to Maintenance, and came from all parts of the Commonwealth as well as countries in Europe which had been taken by the Germans (such as Denmark, the Netherlands, or Poland) and whose airmen continued to fight in the ranks of the Royal Air Force. 
The Air Forces Memorial, or Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
In 2022 the name of Samuel Long will be inscribed at the Ossett War Memorial alongside his brothers and sisters in arms; The Ossett Fallen.
Research by the Batley History Group and the Ossett Fallen Team January 2022.
Sources
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
International Bomber Command Centre
