LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Christian Samuel BALZER
Service No: 404229
Born: Lismore NSW, 20 January 1919
Enlisted in the RAAF: 19 July 1940 (at Brisbane QLD)
Unit: No. 114 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station West Raynham
Died: Air Operations: (No. 114 Squadron Blenheim aircraft V5875), off the Dutch Coast, 15 October 1941, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Harlingen General Cemetery, Netherlands
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Christian Wilkins Balzer and Louisa Mary Balzer, of Lismore, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Lismore NSW
Remembered: Panel 118, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Lismore Cenotaph, Lismore NSW
At 0745 hours on 15 October 1941 Blenheim V5875 took off from West Raynham detailed to carry out an anti-shipping patrol on the eastern half of Beat 8. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take-off and it failed to return to base. The aircraft was shot down by an enemy fighter and crashed into the sea off Holland. The crew of three was killed.
The crew members of V5875 were:
Sergeant Christian Samuel Balzer (404229) (Pilot)
Sergeant Howard Lee Elliott (R/62406) (RCAF) (Observer) Unrecovered
Sergeant Victor Frederick William Slade (923998) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner) Unrecovered
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
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/90/181
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line