During 2005,the Port Talbot Historical Society received a letter from Mr.Jack Charles of Wantage,Oxon.Mr.Charles wanted to make the Society aware of his boyhood friend William Roy Pope of Pontrhydyfen,who had lost his life on the 18th.September,1940,while flying over France.
Even though the letter was found by members to be of local interest,nothing else was done.

Later during 2005,I received a telephone call from Jack Charles of Wantage,telling me that many people had told him,that I would be the most Likely person to help him,to get the memory of his pal William Roy Pope,written down for remembrance in our town.
Jack and I continued our correspondence by letter and telephone,until 2006,when his son Robert drove Jack from Wantage to Port Talbot to visit me.
During his visit,Charles asked me if I would make sure,that in some way  the memory and story of William Roy Pope,would be preserved.
I told him that I was very interested,and that I would do my best to record his story.

The Courier.Tues.Nov.29.2005.
This photograph 0f 19 year old Roy Pope,From Pontrhydyfen,tells a sad story.It came to light through a letter which was sent to Neath RAFA Club from 85 year old Jack Charles livinging Wantage,Oxon.
He and Roy had been close school friends and it grieved him enormously when he learned that Sergeant Roy Pope of 149 Squadron died in action in 1940.But Jack was comforted to know that Neath RAFA was aware of Roy`s history and that a memorial in the form of a display cabinet was prepared by members ofthe branch.
Jack had visited Neath a few years ago and called at the branch in London Road ut,unfortunately,it was closed.
As he said in his letter being 85 years old he`s not likely to visit Neath again and wondered if the club could send him any information about Roy`s RAF service,with a discription of the medals he had earned.It was 65 years ago when Roy gave his all and the loss of such a delighted friend still grieves Jack deeply.
Regrettably those of is age group have passed on and he can no longer share his feelings about the past history o Pontrhydyfen.He recalls his home town with the Windsor and Empire cinemas and he remembers the local coach owner who had yellow buses they used to refer to as the "Flying bananas",and he also recalls Port Talbot with the railway gates across the main road.
Jack has such lovely childhood memories with his best friend Roy Pope.
In reply to the letters,the secretary of Neath RAFA,Denzil Haynes,confirmed that the Neath branch does have a history of Sergeant Pope which includes the original telegram to his mother dated September 22.1940,informing her that her son was missing in action.
His mother refused to accept this.
However,on April 13.1946,she received a letter from a French head teacher who stated that German troops had found his body washed up on the beach at Houlgate on September 30.1940.
He had been shoot down while crewing a Wellington bomber attacking German river barges they were preparing for the invasion of Britain.
He was buried in the local cemetary and given full military honours by the Germans.Sadly,in 1944 his grave was bombed by the RAF who were attempting to knock out the German defences prior to the Normandy invasion.
The grave itself was destroyed but there is a white cross in its stead with a rather poignant inscription.It reads
During 2005,the Port Talbot Historical Society received a letter from Mr.Jack Charles of Wantage,Oxon.Mr.Charles wanted to make the Society aware of his boyhood friend William Roy Pope of Pontrhydyfen,who had lost his life on the 18th.September,1940,while flying over France.
Even though the letter was found by members to be of local interest,nothing else was done.

Later during 2005,I received a telephone call from Jack Charles of Wantage,telling me that many people had told him,that I would be the most Likely person to help him,to get the memory of his pal William Roy Pope,written down for remembrance in our town.
Jack and I continued our correspondence by letter and telephone,until 2006,when his son Robert drove Jack from Wantage to Port Talbot to visit me.
During his visit,Charles asked me if I would make sure,that in some way  the memory and story of William Roy Pope,would be preserved.
I told him that I was very interested,and that I would do my best to record his story.

The Courier.Tues.Nov.29.2005.
This photograph 0f 19 year old Roy Pope,From Pontrhydyfen,tells a sad story.It came to light through a letter which was sent to Neath RAFA Club from 85 year old Jack Charles livinging Wantage,Oxon.
He and Roy had been close school friends and it grieved him enormously when he learned that Sergeant Roy Pope of 149 Squadron died in action in 1940.But Jack was comforted to know that Neath RAFA was aware of Roy`s history and that a memorial in the form of a display cabinet was prepared by members ofthe branch.
Jack had visited Neath a few years ago and called at the branch in London Road ut,unfortunately,it was closed.
As he said in his letter being 85 years old he`s not likely to visit Neath again and wondered if the club could send him any information about Roy`s RAF service,with a discription of the medals he had earned.It was 65 years ago when Roy gave his all and the loss of such a delighted friend still grieves Jack deeply.
Regrettably those of is age group have passed on and he can no longer share his feelings about the past history o Pontrhydyfen.He recalls his home town with the Windsor and Empire cinemas and he remembers the local coach owner who had yellow buses they used to refer to as the "Flying bananas",and he also recalls Port Talbot with the railway gates across the main road.
Jack has such lovely childhood memories with his best friend Roy Pope.
In reply to the letters,the secretary of Neath RAFA,Denzil Haynes,confirmed that the Neath branch does have a history of Sergeant Pope which includes the original telegram to his mother dated September 22.1940,informing her that her son was missing in action.
His mother refused to accept this.
However,on April 13.1946,she received a letter from a French head teacher who stated that German troops had found his body washed up on the beach at Houlgate on September 30.1940.
He had been shoot down while crewing a Wellington bomber attacking German river barges they were preparing for the invasion of Britain.
He was buried in the local cemetary and given full military honours by the Germans.Sadly,in 1944 his grave was bombed by the RAF who were attempting to knock out the German defences prior to the Normandy invasion.
The grave itself was destroyed but there is a white cross in its stead with a rather poignant inscription.