Streeting pays respects to Jewish World War 1 RAF pilot

Wes Streeting has paid tribute to a Jewish World War 1 pilot by laying a wreath at his grave in a Redbridge war memorial.

The Labour shadow minister revealed he had visited the burial site of RAF pilotHarold Jassby ahead of Remembrance Sunday.

The Canadian-born member of a large Jewish family, is buried in the graveyard of St Peter’s Church in Aldborough Hatch.

He had travelled to the UK in 1917 to pursue his dream of becoming a pilot in 1917, but was killed in what appears to be an unfortunate collision the following year, aged only 20.

His niece Caroline Steinman recalls:“I remember my late mother telling me that when World War 1 ended, the streets of Montreal were filled with happiness, people singing and dancing, celebrating the end of the war.

“My grandmother’s home was in mourning, the family sitting Shiva, the Jewish seven day mourning period for a family member. Just two months prior to the war ending, my Grandfather passed away.”

Jassby’s Jewish gravestone is clearly visible just inside the front gate of the burial site, which does not otherwise feature individual family gravestones.

The Star of David together with the insignia of the Royal Air Force appears on his tombstone with the inscription: ‘In life he flew the azure sky, in death he flew to heaven high.’

Ilford North MP Streeting tweeted:”Last weekend, I laid a wreath at the grave of Harry Jassby, a Jewish WW1 RAF pilot, who rests in the graveyard of St Peter’s Church in Aldborough Hatch.

“In life he flew the azure sky, in death he flew to heaven high. ”

Jassby was born in Montreal, Canada into a large Jewish family of ten children in 1898.

In 1917 he was studying at McGill University to become a pharmacist like his older brother, but Jassby’s real dream was to be a pilot.

As Canada did not have an air force, he travelled to Britain to join the Royal Flying Corps in October 1917.

Family members say that Harry was among a group of men who had been asked to fly in a V-formation over London to celebrate the end of the war.

The Redbridge First World War website details how local historian, John Barfoot states that he was flying a Camel E142 when the plane above his lost its motor and collided with Jassby, causing a crash, although this has not being officially confirmed.

Jassby died seven months after landing in England on 6th November 1918, just five days before the Armistice, aged just 20 years old.

The grave is maintained by the local Jewish community, who visit it regularly.