LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Peter Andrew MARSH
Service No: 417311
Born: Melbourne VIC, 27 January 1924
Enlisted in the RAAF: 28 March 1942 (at Adelaide SA)
Unit: No. 97 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Bourn, Cambridgeshire
Died: Air Operations (No. 97 Squadron Lancaster aircraft JB299), Germany, 21 January 1944, Aged 19 Years
Buried: Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany
CWGC Additional Information: Son of John Stanley and Phyllis Ann Marsh, of Middle Brighton, Victoria, Australia
Roll of Honour: Tusmore SA
Remembered: Panel 127, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
Lancaster JB299 took off from Bourn on the night of 21 January 1944, detailed to bomb Magdeburg, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base. A Missing Research and Enquiry team later reported that the aircraft crashed at Schmelau, 11 kms north of Wittingen and 50 kms north of Braunschweig. All the crew members were killed.
The crew members of JB299 were:
Sergeant Edward James Devine (1891641) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Flight Sergeant Ronald Dudley DFM (1388344) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Flight Lieutenant Frank James Roberts DFC (149622) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Francis Martin (1342599) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Peter Andrew Marsh (417311) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Warrant Officer II William Alfred Parsley (R/135211) (RCAF) (Rear Gunner)
Flight Sergeant George Young DFM (1479621) (RAF) (Bomber)
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 Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/27/335