{{short description|English cricketer and Royal Air Force officer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}} {{EngvarB|date=March 2020}} {{Infobox cricketer | name = | image = | country = England | fullname = Geoffrey Phelps Longfield | birth_date = 4 December 1909 | birth_place = High Halstow, Kent, England | death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|1943|2|25|1909|12|4}} | death_place = Rennes, Brittany, German-occupied France | nickname = | family = Tom Longfield (brother) | batting = Right-handed | bowling = Right-arm (unknown style) | role = | club1 = | year1 = | columns = 1 | column1 = First-class | matches1 = 2 | runs1 = 36 | bat avg1 = 9.00 | 100s/50s1 = –/– | top score1 = 26 | deliveries1 = 210 | wickets1 = 2 | bowl avg1 = 69.00 | fivefor1 = – | tenfor1 = – | best bowling1 = 2/51 | catches/stumpings1 = –/– | date = 20 March | year = 2019 | source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/16639.html Cricinfo }}
'''Geoffrey Phelps Longfield''' (4 December 1909 – 25 February 1943) was an English first-class cricketer and Royal Air Force officer. Enlisting in the Royal Air Force in 1929, he played first-class cricket for the Royal Air Force cricket team in the early 1930s, before later serving in the Second World War with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, during which he was killed on a mission while commanding 105 Squadron.
==Life and military career== The son of the Reverend Thomas William Longfield, he was born at High Halstow in Kent, and was educated at Aldenham School.<ref name="BOOK">{{cite book |last1=McCrery |first1=Nigel |title=The Coming Storm: Test and First-Class Cricketers Killed in World War Two |date=2011 |publisher=Pen and Sword |page=289-91 |volume=2nd volume |isbn=978-1526706980 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RYQwDwAAQBAJ |language=en}}</ref> Upon leaving Aldenham, Longfield enlisted in the Royal Air Force as a pilot officer in February 1929,<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=33473|date=1 March 1929|page=1468}}</ref> with confirmation in the rank in March 1930.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=33618|date=24 June 1930|page=3961}}</ref> He was promoted to the rank of flying officer in August 1930.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=33644|date=16 September 1930|page=5960}}</ref> He made his debut in first-class cricket for the Royal Air Force cricket team against the Army at The Oval in 1931;<ref name="FCM">{{cite web|url=http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/31/31056/First-Class_Matches.html |title=First-Class Matches played by Geoffrey Longfield |publisher=CricketArchive |accessdate=20 March 2019 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> he claimed both of his first-class wickets in this match, dismissing Alexander Wilkinson and Adrian Gore.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/13/13945.html |title=Army v Royal Air Force, 1931 |publisher=CricketArchive |accessdate=20 March 2019 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> He made a second first-class appearance the following year in a repeat of the 1931 fixture.<ref name="FCM"/>
He was transferred to the class A reserve in February 1934,<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=34028|date=27 February 1934|page=1348}}</ref> with a further transfer to the C class in December 1934.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=34113|date=11 December 1934|page=8058}}</ref> He was transferred back to the A class in December 1935,<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=34247|date=21 January 1936|page=462}}</ref> He was promoted to the rank of flight lieutenant in January 1938.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=34474|date=18 January 1938|page=370}}</ref> Serving during the Second World War, Longfield was promoted to the rank of squadron leader in December 1940.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=35010|date=10 December 1940|page=6985}}</ref>
He was promoted to the temporary rank of wing commander in September 1942, with seniority antedated to March 1942,<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=35725|date=29 September 1948|page=4258|supp=y}}</ref> and was placed in command of 105 Squadron,<ref name="BOOK"/> which had the distinction of being the first squadron to fly the Mosquito fighter-bomber. On 26 February 1943, he took off from RAF Marham for an attack on Rennes in occupied France.<ref name="BOOK"/> While engaging the target, Longfield made a navigational error and collided with another Mosquito in the squadron. Longfield and his navigator, Flight Lieutenant Ralph Frederick Mills, were both killed,<ref name="BOOK"/> along with the crew of the Mosquito he collided with, piloted by Flight Officer Spencer Griffith Kimmel of the Royal Canadian Air Force.<ref name="RAF">{{cite web|url=http://aircrewremembered.com/mccormick-george-william.html |title=105 Squadron Mosquito |publisher=aircrewremembered.com |accessdate=20 March 2019}}</ref> His replacement as commanding officer of 105 Squadron, Wing Commander John William Deacon, was killed the following day in a training accident in Norfolk.<ref name="RAF"/>
Longfield was buried at Rennes Eastern Communal Cemetery.<ref name="BOOK"/> His brother, Tom Longfield, was also a first-class cricketer.
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{cricinfo|id=16639}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Longfield, Geoffrey}} Category:1909 births Category:1943 deaths Category:People from Medway Category:People educated at Aldenham School Category:Royal Air Force wing commanders Category:English cricketers Category:Royal Air Force cricketers Category:Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve personnel of World War II Category:Royal Air Force personnel killed in World War II Category:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1943 Category:Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents in France Category:Military personnel from Kent Category:Cricketers from Kent Category:20th-century English sportsmen Category:Victims of mid-air collisions