LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer James Harold Nimmo CLEMINSON
Service No: 426535
Born: Atherton QLD, 5 July 1919
Enlisted in the RAAF: 18 July 1942
Unit: No. 180 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Dunsfold
Died: Air Operations: (No. 180 Squadron Mitchell aircraft FW124), France, 21 August 1944, Aged 26 Years
Buried: Bretteville Sur Laize Canadian War Cemetery, Calvados, France
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Sydney Harold and Dora Lethbridge Cleminson, of Malanda, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 120, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 0300 hours on 21 August 1944 Mitchell FW124 took off from Dunsfold detailed to attack enemy movements at Elbeouf on the Seine. The aircraft was due on the target at 0400 hours, but nothing was heard from after take-off and FW124 failed to return to base. Other aircraft on the sortie encountered flak from Dieppe and slightly inaccurate heavy flak at Port L’Eveque. Aircraft engaged on flare dropping reported enemy fighters. Visibility was poor with 10/10ths cloud over the target area. A Missing Research and Enquiry team reported that: “The aircraft crashed near Villa
Arlette, Moulineux, and all the crew members were killed.”
The crew members of FW124 were:
Flying Officer James Henry Bringloe (RCAF) (J/23074) (Pilot)
Pilot Officer James Harold Nimmo Cleminson (426535) (Navigator Bomb Aimer)
Pilot Officer Arthur James Venn (RCAF) (J/87754) (Wireless Operator Air)
Pilot Officer Donald Stuart Whiting (J/87877) (RCAF) (Air Gunner)
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, 166/7/610