LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Harold George CLARKE
Service No: 401300
Born: Brunswick VIC, 20 August 1914
Enlisted in the RAAF: 1 February 1941
Unit: No. 14 Operational Training Unit (RAF), RAF Cottesmore, Rutland
Died: Wounds from Air Operations (No. 14 Operational Training Unit Hampden aircraft L4117), Devon, 1 August 1942, Aged 27 Years
Buried: Exeter Higher Cemetery, Devon
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Michael George Harold and Maggie Clark, of Ivanhoe, Victoria, Australia; husband of Veronica Mary Clarke, of Ivanhoe.
Roll of Honour: Moonee Ponds VIC
Remembered: Panel 120, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Hampden L4117 took off from RAF Cottesmore at 0008 hours on the morning 1 August 1942, detailed to bomb Dusseldorf, Germany. During the sortie the aircraft survived two attacks from fighters and was hit by anti-aircraft fire. Somewhat disoriented by these events, the crew strayed from their course and, subsequently, crash-landed in a field at Woodbarden Farm two miles south east of Modbury, Devon. Flying Officer Clarke died from wounds sustained during the attacks on L4117.
The crew members of L4417 were:
Flying Officer Harold George Clarke (401300) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Pilot Officer D J Curtin (J/9340) (RCAF) (Pilot) Uninjured
Sergeant R Hawkes (R/77977) (RCAF) (Wireless Air Gunner) Injured
Pilot Officer S J Walker (10012*) (RCAF) (Observer) Injured
* Service number taken from the Casualty Signal may be incomplete)
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, 163/26/248