LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Philip Stroud MAY
Service No: 429831
Born: Prospect SA, 21 December 1912
Enlisted in the RAAF: 12 September 1942
Unit: No. 76 Squadron (RAF), RAF Holme-upon-Spalding Moor, Yorkshire
Died: Air Operations (No. 76 Squadron Halifax aircraft LW656), France, 23 June 1944, Aged 31 Years
Buried: Montchalons Churchyard, Aisne, France
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Frank Stroud Ashmeade May and Ada Janet May, of Prospect, South Australia
Roll of Honour: Prospect 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
Halifax LW656 took off from RAF Holme-upon-Spalding Moor at 2301 hours on the night of 22 June 1944, detailed to bomb the railway yards at Lyons, France. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base. LW656 crashed at Montchalons (Aisne), which is a village 11 kms south east of Lacon, France.
The crew members of LW656 were:
Flight Sergeant Michael William Cosgrove (425978) (RNZAF) (Air Bomber)
Warrant Officer Henry Lanwarne Cribb (656214) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Sergeant Geoffrey Albert Danbury (1605219) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Flight Sergeant Philip Stroud May (429831) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Ian Hamilton Ross (975825) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant Robert Eric Royal (3000076) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Sergeant Joseph Steward Webster (1285805) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
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, 166/27/480
Bibliography:
Chorley W R, To See the Dawn Breaking: 76 Squadron Operations, W R Chorley Devon UK, 1981