LEST WE FORGET
Lieutenant Rupert Holton HERD
Service No: Not Assigned
Born: Ballarat VIC, April 1892
Enlisted in the Army: 18 January 1915
Unit: Training Depot, Australian Flying Corps, attached to Central Flying School, B Squadron, Eastbourne
Died: Injuries from an Aircraft Accident, England, 16 June 1917, Aged 25 Years
Buried: Ocklynge Cemetery, Eastbourne, Sussex
CWGC Additional Information: Son of David and Katherine Herd, of Wonga Road, Ringwood, Victoria, Australia
Place of Association: North Melbourne VIC
Remembered: Panel 188, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 16 June 1917, Lieutenant Herd flying as a Supernumerary was killed in the crash of Avro aircraft D9774 at Eastbourne Aerodrome. After the engine failed to pick-up, the aircraft stalled at about 100 feet and crashed and burned. The pilot, Lieutenant H J Newton RFC (1), was uninjured.
(1) Not able to be further identified
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record B2455, HERD R H LIEUTENANT
National Archives UK RAF Casualty Card 273808, 129388