LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer Roy Arthur BRAWN
Service No: 420611
Born: Ballina NSW, 30 May 1918
Enlisted in the RAAF: 8 November 1941
Unit: No. 76 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 76 Squadron Halifax aircraft LK681), Yorkshire, 3 November 1943, Aged 25 Years
Buried: Harrogate (Stonefall) Cemetery, Yorkshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Richard Henry and Alice May Brawn; husband of Jean Mary Brawn, of Cremorne, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Ballina NSW
Remembered: Panel 119, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Halifax LK681 was detailed to carry out an air test on 3 November 1943. During the test the aircraft crashed at 1155 hours at Enthorpe House, 5 miles north east of Market Weighton, Yorkshire, and all on board lost their lives.
The crew members of LK681 were:
Pilot Officer Roy Arthur Brawn (420611) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Sergeant Jeffrey George Kirby (1453264) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Sergeant Derek Kneale (1450874) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flying Officer William Laskie (131957) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Miss D Robson (Civilian) Fatally Injured, Died: 5 November 1943
Flight Lieutenant James Steele (127895) (RAFVR) (Pilot) Fatally Injured, Died: 3 November 1944
Flying Officer Henry Maxwell Welch (J/19121) (RCAF) (Rear Gunner)
Miss D Robson B. Sc. (aged 23 years) was an acknowledged expert in the field of bombsight development at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough.
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, 166/6/317
Bibliography:
Chorley W R, To See the Dawn Breaking: 76 Squadron Operations, W R Chorley Devon UK, 1981