LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Bryan Gordon Grosvenor FRANCIS
Service No: 414478
Born: Mosman QLD, 25 October 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 11 October 1941
Unit: No. 15 Advanced Flying Unit (RAF), RAF Station Standlake
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 15 Advanced Flying Unit Oxford aircraft AB725), Oxfordshire, 21 March 1943, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Ramsbury Holy Cross Churchyard, Wiltshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Charles Gordon and Eileen Marion Francis, of Gooburrum, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Bundaberg QLD
Remembered: Panel 122, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 1631 hours on 21 March 1943 while on a non-operational day training flight, Oxford AB725 from crashed at Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire, and the crew of two was killed. The starboard wing struck the ground when the aircraft was carrying out low flying practice which the instructor had authorised. The accident was considered an apparent error of judgement by the pilot.
The crew members of AB725 were:
Sergeant Bryan Gordon Grosvenor Francis (414478) (Pilot under instruction)
Warrant Officer Jack Richard Thomas Hazelton DFM (906210) (RAFVR) (Pilot Instructor)
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, 166/14/27