LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Alfred Campbell BRIANT
Service No: 410624
Born: Ballarat VIC, 24 May 1923
Enlisted in the RAAF: 31 January 1942
Unit: No. 151 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Predannack, Cornwall
Died: Air Operations: (No. 151 Squadron Mosquito aircraft MM447), France, 23 June 1944, Aged 21 Years
Buried: La Fleche Communal Cemetery, France
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Leslie Pateman Briant and Gladis Buchanan Briant, of Surrey Hills, Victoria, Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 119, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 1107 hours on 23 June 1944 Mosquito MM447 (Sweeney 39) took off from Predannack detailed to attack the railway station at La Fleche, France, and was accompanied by another Mosquito (Sweeney 33). At approximately 1300 hours some wagons were seen at La Fleche and attacked by Sweeney 39. Sweeney 33 turned to join the attack but saw anti-aircraft coming up. Sweeney 39 reported by radio that he had been hit and the starboard engine had stopped. It was also emitting smoke. Sweeney 39 reported he was going home and shortly after that he was losing height. The aircraft was next seen by Sweeney 33 to have crashed, with the MM447 burning severely and the occupants had not escaped. Sweeney 33 then returned to base. Both the crew Sweeney 39 were injured but died of their injuries during the day. A Missing Research and Enquiry team reported that “the aircraft was hit by ack-ack and crashed near the village of Bazouges Sur Loir on 23 June.”
The crew members of MM447 were:
Flying Officer James Joseph Battle (426250) (Navigator/Radio)
Flying Officer Alfred Campbell Briant (410624) (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 Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/6/584