LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer Ernest BROWN
Service No: 415612
Born: Burwood NSW, 21 June 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 7 December 1941 (at Perth WA)
Unit: No. 166 Squadron (RAF), RAF Kirmington, Lincolnshire
Died: Air Operations: (No. 166 Squadron Lancaster aircraft ME635), Germany, 24 March 1944, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Winifred Mary Brown, of Victoria Park, Western Australia.
Roll of Honour: Perth WA
Remembered: Panel 119, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Cenotaph Undercroft, State War Memorial, Kings Park WA
Remembered: Honour Avenues, Kings Park WA
Lancaster ME635 took off from RAF Kirmington at 1835 hours on the night of 24/25th March 1944, detailed to bomb Berlin. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base. The aircraft was one of 23 aircraft from the Squadron to take part in the mission. Opposition in the target area was moderate, and searchlights ineffective due to cloud. There were eight separate sightings of enemy aircraft and numerous fighter flares seen over the target area. On the homeward journey considerable changes in the forecast winds caused the majority of our aircraft to get off track and pass over many heavily defended areas. A Missing Research & Enquiry team later reported : “The aircraft exploded in the air and crashed near the village of Reuden on 24 March 1943. Reuden is some 39 miles east of Magdeburg.” Six of the crew members were killed in the crash and one became a Prisoner of War.
The crew members of ME635 were:
Sergeant Russell Boyde (1479287) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Pilot Officer Ernest Brown (415612) (Pilot)
Sergeant William Henry Burnell (1853402) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner) PoW
Sergeant Joseph Flavell (1446200) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant William Charles Mason (1260719) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
Flight Sergeant William Mitchinson (657027) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Flight Sergeant John Eric Scruton (366436) (RAF) (Flight Engineer)
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, 166/6/452