LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Edward Andrew GLOVER
Service No: 426086
Born: Ingham QLD, 30 January 1915
Enlisted in the RAAF: 23 may 1942
Unit: No. 51 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Snaith
Died: Air Operations: (No. 51 Squadron Halifax aircraft LK750), Germany, 18 March 1944, Aged 29 Years
Buried: Rheinberg War Cemetery, Kamp Lintfort, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Edward John and Phoebe Glover; husband of Kathleen Alice Glover, of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Ingham QLD
Remembered: Panel 122, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 1932 hours on the night of 18 March 1944 Halifax LK750 took off from Snaith detailed to bomb Frankfurt, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take-off and it failed to return to base. It was later established that the aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire and crashed near Brumholder. Three of the crew members were killed and the others were four taken prisoner.
The crew members of LK750 were:
Sergeant Leslie Harold Baldwin (1825182) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Edward Andrew Glover (426086) (Air Bomber)
Sergeant L H Gulliver (635576) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner) PoW
Sergeant R H Pickford (1337095) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner) PoW
Sergeant W Powell (1589940) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer) PoW
Flight Sergeant W A Robson (1576137) (RAFVR) (Navigator) PoW
Flight Sergeant Charles Roland Seaman (1484103) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Sergeant Pickford later reported “When we were attacked at approximately 2230 hours and the order to abandon was given. After I acknowledged and was preparing to go I passed out through lack of oxygen. Before this I saw Glover sitting down facing me. Told by the Germans that Glover was killed.”
Sergeant Robson reported: “Attacked at 2230. Abandon order. From time I left (approximately 30
seconds) Glover was less than 6 feet from me. I could see his head and shoulders but rest of him was hidden behind black out curtains. He had removed his helmet and I could not communicate with him. I did motion to him to help me open the escape hatch and he understood and gave help without coming from behind the curtains. I believe he was not injured. A/c under control when I left Germans told me Glover had been killed.”
Sergeant Powell reported: “Skipper ordered abandon, I acknowledged. Glover came towards the escape hatch and that was the last time I saw Glover. Unfortunately the ship broke up and I was thrown out.”
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, 166/15/342; A705, 166/15/206