LEST WE FORGET
Warrant Officer Walter William BEAVAN
Service No: 412360
Born: North Sydney NSW, 14 November 1919
Enlisted in the RAAF: 19 July 1941
Unit: No. 466 Squadron, RAF Leconfield, Yorkshire
Died: Air Operations (No. 466 Squadron Halifax aircraft HX267), Belgium, 28 May 1944, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Brussels Town Cemetery, Evere, Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium
CWGC Additional Information: Son of William Walter and Ivy Loames Beavan, of Tumut, New South Wales, Australia.
Roll of Honour: Tumut NSW
Remembered: Panel 110, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
A second attack (the first attack was on 10-11 May 1944) on Bourg Leopold was made by 331 aircraft on 27th-28th May and caused devastation among large buildings and barrack blocks similar to that achieved at Mailly-le-Camp. Fifteen Halifaxes of No. 466 joined in this raid and, although rocket-firing fighters intercepted the bomber stream, only one RAAF aircraft was shot down, while Flying Officer Dobinson (1), a rear gunner in another aircraft, destroyed one of the attackers, his victory being witnessed and confirmed by other crews.
(1) Flight Lieutenant Douglas John Dobinson DFC (424530) was discharged from the RAAF on 22 September 1945.
Extract from (John) (406545) Air War Over Europe 1944-1945, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1963 – Page 38
Halifax HX267 took off from RAF Leconfield at 2349 hours on the night of 27/28th May 1944 to bomb the military camp at Camp Bourg Leopold. Fifteen aircraft from the Squadron took part in the raid and all returned except. HX267. Following post war enquiries it was established that the aircraft crashed at 0203 hours on 28th May 1944 at Zemst (Brabant), 5kms south from the centre of Mechelen in the neighbouring province of Antwerpen, Belgium.
The crew members of HX267 were:
Warrant Officer William Walter Beavan (412360) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Warrant Officer Joseph Edward Browne (415395) (Navigator)
Warrant Officer Leonard William Cain (415396) (Bomb Aimer)
Sergeant A J Cox (613278) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer) PoW
Sergeant William Impey (1853808) (RAF) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Flight Sergeant William Joseph Moody (428256) (Rear Gunner)
Pilot Officer Keith Charles Page (409584) (Pilot)
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 Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/5/548