LEST WE FORGET
Air Operations: (No. 466 Squadron Wellington aircraft HE152), North Sea, 14 January 1943
The crew of HE 152 was the first crew of the Squadron to be lost on an operational ‘gardening’ (mine laying) mission.
Wellington HE152 took off from RAF Leconfield at 1621 hours on the night of 14/15th January 1943 to carry out a mining operation in the Nectarines area off the island of Ameland on the northern coast of Holland. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it did not return to base. Seven aircraft from the Squadron took part in the mission and one of these HE152 failed to return. Post war it was established that the aircraft was shot down by flak and crashed into the sea west of Ameland and all the crew members were killed. Flight Sergeant Stewart is buried in the Vlieland General Cemetery, Vlieland, Netherlands. The remaining members of the crew are listed as missing and their names are commemorated on the Memorial to the Missing, Runnymede, Surrey, UK.
The crew members of HE152 were:
Sergeant John Albert Austin (414575) (RNZAF) (Second Pilot) (a member of No. 196 Squadron (RAF))
Sergeant Raymond Vivian Babington (658123) (RAF) (Pilot)
Sergeant Arthur John Chester (1254680) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant Martin Harris (1193140) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Herbert William Stewart (R/105711) (RCAF) (Bomb Aimer)
Sergeant Lawrence Harry Tabner (1293166) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records