LEST WE FORGET
Flight Lieutenant Harold Kevin HORNIBROOK
Service No: 414034
Born: Brisbane QLD, 18 April 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 20 July 1941
Unit: No. 158 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Lissett
Died: Air Operations: (No. 158 Squadron Halifax aircraft HR979), Germany, 24 August 1943, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Berlin1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany
CWGC Additional Information: Son of James Harold and Amanda Louisa Hornibrook, of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Brisbane QLD
Remembered: Panel 124, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Brother of Flying Officer Albert Keith Hornibrook (426346)
At 2026 hours on the night of 23 August 1943 Halifax HR979 took off from Lissett 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 by a night fighter and crashed at Oramenbury, 27 kms north north west of Berlin. Three crew members were killed and the other four were taken as Prisoners of War.
The crew members of HR979 were:
Sergeant J Batty (1196226) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner) PoW
Pilot Officer A E Bryett (138896) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber) PoW
Pilot Officer R W Chaston (136368) (RAFVR) (Navigator) PoW
Sergeant Lawrence George Chesson (11531050 (RAFVR) (Mid Gunner)
Flight Lieutenant Harold Kevin Hornibrook (414034) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Graham Albert George McLeod (12840) (Rear Gunner)
Sergeant A S Soutar (1341430) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer) PoW
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, 166/18/154