LEST WE FORGET

Sergeant Hubert John BURNHAM

Service No: 420135
Born: Worthington, England, 5 September 1923
Enlisted in the RAAF: 11 October 1941 (at Sydney NSW)
Unit: No. 34 Operational Training Unit (RAF), Pennfield Ridge, Nova Scotia, Canada
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 34 Operational Training Unit Ventura aircraft AJ211), New Brunswick, 8 February 1943, Aged 19 Years
Buried: Moncton (Elmwood) Cemetery, New Brunswick
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Albert George and Doris May Burnham, of Worthing, Sussex, England
Roll of Honour: Gurley NSW
Remembered: Panel 133, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Moree War Memorial Hall – World War Two Honour Rolls, Moree NSW

At about 0600 hours on 8 February 1943, Ventura AJ211 took off from Yarmouth aerodrome to carry out a cross-country exercise. The last message received from the aircraft was at 0627 hours and further efforts to contact the aircraft failed. At approximately 0915 hours Operations at RCAF Yarmouth were informed that the aircraft was overdue, and at 1130 hours the Station requested a parallel search be made along the route taken by the aircraft.

Before this happened, information was received that an aircraft had crashed at Richibulto, New Brunswick and that two bodies were in the wreck. At 1150 hours a message was received from Moncton, New Brunswick, which reported a fire on the northern shore of the Richibulto River and that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police were proceeding to investigate. A later message from Moncton reported that it was the aircraft which took off from Yarmouth at 0600 hours, and that it was apparent that the aircraft had exploded on impact and was completely wrecked. Two bodies had been found and a third was recovered later.

The crew members of AJ211 were:

Sergeant Hubert John Burnham (420135) (Pilot)
Sergeant Philip Llewellyn Edmond (413841) (Observer)
Sergeant John Edward Hogan (416424) (RNZAF) (Wireless Operator)

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, 166/11/20
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line

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