LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Charles Henry Robert McKEE
Service No: 411031
Born: Sydney NSW, 10 June 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 31 March 1941
Unit: No. 27 Operational Training Unit (RAF), RAF Lichfield, Staffordshire
Died: Air Operations: (No. 27 Operational Training Unit Wellington aircraft DV 552), Belgium, 1 August 1942, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Huldenberg Churchyard, Huldenberg, Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Charles and Doris Jane McKee, of Auburn, New South Wales. Australia.
Roll of Honour: Auburn NSW
Remembered: Panel 126, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Auburn RSL World War II Honour Roll, Auburn NSW
Remembered: Auburn District Memorial, Auburn NSW
On the night of 31 July 1942, Wellington DV 552 took off from RAF Lichfield at 2341 hours, detailed to bomb Dusseldorf, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base. The aircraft crashed at 0330 hours at Huldenberg in the Province of Brabant, 23 kms south east of Brussels. All the crew were killed.
The crew members of DV 552 were:
Sergeant Clifford Douglas Luedeke (406809) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant Charles Henry Robert McKee (411031) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flying Officer Mervyn George McNeil (40239) (RNZAF) (Screening Pilot)
Sergeant Owen Morgan (405450) (Observer)
Flying Officer Arthur Frederick Richard Nash (406576) (Pilot)
Sergeant John Daniel O’Halloran (403991) (Air 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, 163/141/653
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line