LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Cecil Keith BERRIMAN
Service No: 402102
Born: Geelong VIC, 23 April 1917
Enlisted in the RAAF: 27 May 1940 (at Sydney NSW)
Unit: No. 39 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Air Operations (No. 39 Squadron Maryland aircraft AH361), Central Mediterranean, 22 August 1941, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Cecil Clarence and Elsie Rose Berriman, of Mosman, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: North Sydney NSW
Remembered: Column 245, Alamein Memorial, Egypt
Remembered: Panel 118, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 0558 hours on 22 August 1941 Maryland AH361 took off from Fuka satellite airfield (Malta) on a reconnaissance over the Tobruk-Bardia road area and landing grounds. The aircraft did not return to base after this mission. It was originally reported that the aircraft was missing believed to have forced landed, but there was no definite evidence to confirm this, and it was considered that its loss was due to enemy action. Following post war enquiries and investigations it was recorded in 1948 that the crew members had lost their lives at sea.
The crew members of AH361 were:
Sergeant Cecil Keith Berriman (402102) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Samuel Alexander McClean Crothers (521631) (RAF) (Gunner)
Sergeant Gordon Murray Holstead (943237) (RAF) (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Sergeant Harold Gough Waller (400072) (Observer)
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, 163/91/108
Bibliography:
Ilbery, P.L.T. (Peter Leslie Thomas) (422957) Hatching an Air Force: 2SFTS, 5SFTS, 1BFTS Uranquinty and Wagga Wagga, Banner Books Maryborough QLD 4650, 2002