In South Shields (Harton) Cemetery is the Commonwealth War Grave of 1114456 Leading Aircraftman Philip Zarraga, serving with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, who died 22/10/1941.

A family headstone reads:
In loving memory of
my dear husband
Enrique Zarraga
who died March 21st 1933, aged 60 years.
Also Maria dearly loved wife of the above
who died March 6th 1955, aged 78 years.
Also their son Philip U.T.P. R.A.F.
killed in action Oct. 22nd 1941
aged 25 years.

Also five children of the above who died in infancy.

Philip Zarraga was born the youngest boy of 10 children, on the 26th May 1916, the son of Enrique Zarraga, born 1867, died 21st March 1933, and his wife Emerigilda Ayo Zarraga, born 13th April 1877, died 6th May 1955. Both had been born in Spain.

They had 10 children,

• Maria Zarraga, born Jarrow, 29th October 1901, baptised 10th November 1901, at St Bede’s Roman Catholic Church, {she married  William ‘Arthur’ Henry Rutter, eldest son of Mr and Mrs F. C. Rutter, Dock House, Tyne Dock, he was a Telephone Engineer, on the 14th September 1935 at St Gregory’s Roman Catholic Church, born 19th February 1900, William had been in the Royal Navy based at Chatham, service number J51736, and he volunteered on the 26th March 1929, he died in 1948, in 1939 they were residing at 111 Prince Edward Road, South Shields, with one daughter, who was born 6th November 1936 at Harton Hospital}, Marie died 6th March 1955.
• Emetesia Zarraga, born Jarrow 1903.
• Michaela Zarraga, born Tyne Dock, 15th September 1904, died 6th September 1964, at Alberto Guaco, Bilbao, Spain, she married Norman Rutter in 1930, in 1939 they were residing at 100 Prince Edward Road, South Shields.
• Enrique Henry Zarraga, born Tyne Dock, 1st October 1905, died 2nd July 1978, (he married Margaret Ann Pearce, born 19th October 1905, died 20th March 1893, in 1932, and in 1939, they both resided at 22/24 Warden Street at Newcastle upon Tyne he was a Fish Fryer, and they had two children).
• Cassimira Zarraga, born 1908, died 1913.
• Louisa Zarraga, born 23rd June 1909, baptised 11th July 1909 at St Bede’s Roman Catholic Church, died 1913.
• Rose Zarraga, born October 1910, died 1913.
• Joannes Zarraga, born July 1912, died 1913.
• Elvira Maria Zarraga, born 3rd February 1921, died 17th April 1987, at Weston super Mare, she married a John Bewick on the 18th July 1949.

The family originally resided in Jarrow but moved in 1904 to 97 Commercial Road, South Shields, the father was a Boilermaker, and by 1911, the family was still residing at the same address, with two visitors in 8 rooms. The father died in 1933.

In 1935 the family were residing at 9 Park View, Harton, South Shields.

Philip Zarraga was a keen football player and is mentioned in the local newspapers playing in the South Shields Junior League, playing for St Andrew’s at Leam Lane, Tyne Dock, Redheads the Shipbuilders and Cleadon as well. On Saturday 27th December 1929, Philip broke a finger whilst playing football for St John’s against Mortimer Road School when he tackled an opponent and fell awkwardly. He was taken off for the rest of the match. His team were well beaten. Philip was educated at St John’s School from 1929 for a while joining their football team.

Philip was a Fish Fryer and in 1939, he was residing with his mother and  sister Elvira Marie at 109 Prince Edward Road, South Shields. On the 9th May there was an advertisement for a Girl required in the Fish shop located at 109 Prince Edward Road.

Philip joined the Royal Air Force after September 1939, with the official number 1114456, and became a Leading Aircraftsman. He was training to be a Pilot, and was at Shawbury in Shropshire now attached to Flying Training Command. Philip was in the 11th Flying Training School also home to the 27th Maintenance Unit.

The Station’s association with flying training started in June 1917, with the arrival of No 29 (Flying Training) Wing and the Aeroplane Repair Section of the Royal Flying Corps. However, following the end of World War One, the site reverted back to agricultural use in 1920. In 1938, Shawbury was re-activated and became home to No 27 Maintenance Unit (MU) and No 11 Flying Training School (FTS).

Philip was training in an Oxford II and was doing a Dual Night Circuit Training session, when he flew into a tree when taking off. He was killed outright. P/O (Pilot) Maurice A. Bunn, 103548, and Lac (Pilot u/t) Philip Zarraga Oxford II, serial number V3632, – 11 FTS, flew into ground at night Ingham.

October 22nd 1941, “Ingham R.L.G. Fatal Night Flying Accident. Oxford II, V.3632. The pilot, Pilot Officer M.A. Bunn, was giving dual instruction at night to 1114456 L.A.C. Zarraga P. He made one satisfactory circuit, but, after taking off for the second time, the aircraft was observed to climb hardly at all and it crashed into a belt of trees about half a mile beyond the windward boundary, becoming a total wreck. It did not catch fire, but both instructor and pupil were killed outright. An Investigation was called for, and the accident was reported by Signal T.126 from R.A.F. Station Hemswell.”

Philip Zarraga is remembered at Harton on H104.09 at Westoe in W101.08, page 96 and in a RAF Book of Remembrance, page 132.