LEST WE FORGET

Flying Officer Bruce William FOSKETT

Service No: 413755
Born: Chatswood NSW, 29 March 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 13 September 1941
Unit: No 424 Squadron (RCAF), RAF Skipton-on-Swale, Yorkshire
Died: Air Operations: (No. 424 Squadron Halifax aircraft HX311), Germany, 15 February 1944, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Edward George and Dora Mabel Foskett, of Roseville, New South Wales, Australia.
Roll of Honour: Roseville NSW
Remembered: Panel 133, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Roseville Uniting Church World War II Honour Roll, Roseville NSW
Remembered: Roseville War Memorial, Roseville NSW
Remembered: Ku-ring-gai World War II Book of Remembrance, Gordon NSW

On the night of the 15/16th February 1944, Halifax HX311 took off from Skipton-on-Swale at 1721 hours, detailed to bomb Berlin. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off, and it failed to return to base. The aircraft was shot down at Falkenberg on the 15th February 1944, and all the crew were killed. They are buried in the Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany.

The crew members of HX311 were:

Sergeant Frederick William Bartley (1311036) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Pilot Officer Alexander Francis Dowding (159677) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Pilot Officer John William Fisher (415244) (Air Bomber)
Flying Officer Bruce William Foskett (413755) (Navigator)
Pilot Officer Frederick William Janes (168517) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Stanley Lucas (2216237) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Flight Lieutenant Ronald Henry Penalagan (J/8940) (RCAF) (Second Pilot)
Squadron Leader Aloyis Valentine Reilander (J/20359) (RCAF) (Pilot)

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, 166/14/161
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line

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