LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Harold Max HEWETT
Service No: 419311
Born: Preston VIC, 29 April 1923
Enlisted in the RAAF: 18 July 1942
Unit: No. 75 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Mepal
Died: Air Operations: (No. 75 Squadron Lancaster aircraft ND919), Netherlands, 12 May 1944, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Aardenburg General Cemetery, Zeeland, Netherlands
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Norman Leslie and Lizzie Marie Hewett, of Thornbury, Victoria, Australia
Roll of Honour: Preston VIC
Remembered: Panel 123, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 2256 hours on the night of 11 May 1944 Lancaster ND919 took off from Mepal detailed to bomb the railway yards at Leuven. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take-off and it failed to return to base. The aircraft exploded and crashed at Castle Elderschans, 2kms north west of Aardenburg, (Zeeland), Netherlands. All the crew members were killed.
The crew members of ND919 were:
Flight Sergeant David Clough (1193544) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Harold Dewhurst (1094980) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Pilot Officer Donald Irwin Gage (J/19996) (RCAF) (Air Bomber)
Flight Sergeant Harold Max Hewett (419311) (Rear Gunner)
Flying Officer Arnold Earle Irving (J/19819) (RCAF) (Navigator)
Sergeant Francis Christopher Riley (1584169) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Flight Lieutenant Derek Warren (151118) (RAFVR) (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 Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/17/577