A Second World War hero who was part of the famous Damusters squadron has died after contracting coronavirus.
Kenneth Law Sumner, 96, passed away at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary on April 2 after suffering a short illness and testing positive for Covid-19.
It comes after two bishops from the same church in Wolverhampton were also killed by the deadly pathogen with figures now reporting 47,806 confirmed cases and 4,934 deaths across the UK.
Kenneth Law Sumner, 96, (pictured) passed away at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary on April 2 after suffering a short illness and testing positive for Covid-19
Ken, as he was known by his friends and family, was born in Sackatchewan, Canada, but returned to the North East of England when he was a young man.
He joined the RAF aged just 18 in July 1941.
He won a Distinguished Flying Medal for his bravery while serving in ’44 ‘Rhodesia’ Squadron after flying a total of 27 operations in Lancaster Bomber planes.
Ken went on to join the famous ‘617 ‘Dam Buster’ Squadron, known for its strategically vital attacks on German dams using bouncing bombs, at 21 years old.
It was there that he met his future wife Phyllis ‘Rennie’ Reynolds to whom he was married from 1946 to her death in 2015.
Ken (left) had joined the famous ‘617 ‘Dam Buster’ Squadron, known for its strategically vital attacks on German dams using bouncing bombs, at 21 years old
Grandson Kenneth Shepherd said he and his family ‘could not have wished for a bigger hero to look up to’ than his ‘flawless’ grandfather.
He said: ‘He was a true gentlemen who never stopped loving his family, his wife of over 60 years Rennie and, of course, his cat Patchy.
‘As they say, they don’t make them like them anymore: there was never a truer saying.’
Kenneth said his whole family wanted to thank the NHS staff who had been treating the war hero.
He said the loss of his grandfather, who he had ‘really thought was going to walk out of hospital with his medals on’, further highlighted the need to observe vital lockdown rules intended to slow the spread of coronavirus and protect the elderly and vulnerable.
Ken’s death comes after two religious leaders from the Church Of God Of Prophecy in Wolverhampton were also among the latest coronavirus victims.
Reverend Bishop Theophilus Augustus McCalla MBE, 86, and Reverend Bishop Horatio Fearon, 80s, died just 24 hours apart after contracting Covid-19.
It is thought up to ten members from the same denomination, including senior ministers, have also died in recent weeks.
One churchgoer who knew both Reverend McCalla and Reverend Fearon told Sky News they were concerned that a significant number of other worshippers could die following the outbreak.
Reverend Bishop Theophilus Augustus McCalla MBE, 86, (pictured) was also among the latest coronavirus victims
Reverend Bishop Horatio Fearon, 80s, (pictured), from the same church had died just 24 hours earlier
They said: ‘The virus seems to have affected several in our community.
‘Some have died, others are still struggling with it.
‘Our small church community will not be the same when the outbreak ends because some of our key leaders, who meant so much to us, have gone.
‘We continue to pray, and trust God for recovery of those who are sick, and may the dead rest in eternal peace.’
Both men were religious leaders from the Church Of God Of Prophecy in Wolverhampton (pictured)
The Church Of God Of Prophecy has between 60 and 70 congregations across the UK.
It is understood that all public and private worship services have been suspended across all of its branches.
The deaths come as the deadly pathogen continues to spread across the UK with the latest figures reporting 47,806 confirmed cases and 4,934 fatalities.