LEST WE FORGET

Flight Sergeant Thomas Clifford ELSTUB

Service No: 420551
Born: Paddington NSW, 13 March 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 8 November 1941
Unit: No. 1657 Conversion Unit (RAF), RAF Stradishall, Suffolk
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 1657 Conversion Unit Stirling aircraft EP352), Herefordshire, 22 October 1943, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Bath (Haycombe) Cemetery, Somerset
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Cecil Thomas Elstub and Dorothy Pearl Elstub, of Rockdale, New South Wales, Australia.
Roll of Honour: Rockdale NSW
Remembered: Panel 121, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: St Peter’s Town Hall Honour Roll, Sydenham NSW

On the 22nd October 1943, Stirling EP352 took off from RAF Stradishall, briefed to carry out a special navigation training exercise. At approximately 2120 hours, the aircraft flew into the ground at Rosemaund Farm, Preston Wynne, approximately six miles north north east from Hereford and all the nine crew members on board were killed.

The crew members of EP352 were:

Sergeant Stanley Bridston Cribb (423657) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant Desmond Dickson (1550321) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Flight Sergeant Thomas Clifford Elstub (420551) (Pilot)
Pilot Officer Victor Charles Gerrard (146302) (RAFVR) (Staff Navigation Instructor)
Pilot Officer George Peter Hewson (156343) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Flight Sergeant Albert Henry Hines (415982) (Air Bomber)
Sergeant Eric John McMillan (1338724) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Alfred Jack Smith (1852352) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Flying Officer John Lawrence Stalker (133773) (RAFVR) (Navigator)

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, 166/11/89
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line

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