LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Victor MIENERT
Service No: 425183
Born: Brisbane QLD, 30 January 1918
Enlisted in the RAAF: 31 January 1942
Unit: No. 405 Squadron (RCAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident: (No. 405 Squadron Lancaster aircraft JB481), Norfolk, 17 December 1943, Aged 25 Years
Buried: Cambridge City Cemetery, Cambridgeshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Henry and Florence Gertrude Mienert, of Ashgrove Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Brisbane QLD
Remembered: Panel 133, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 1637 hours on the night of 16 December 1943, Lancaster JB481 took off from RAF Gransden Lodge detailed to bomb Berlin. The aircraft crashed at 0130 hours near Marham airfield, Norfolk. Five of the crew were members killed and two were injured. A report in the Flying accident stated: “The accident was caused by the inexperience of the Pilot and very poor weather conditions for landing at night. The aircraft flew into the ground after breaking through cloud in the UK after being detailed to carry our operations against the enemy.”
The crew members of JB481 were:
Sergeant Henry Roberts Bessent (R/198740) (RCAF) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Sergeant William Corrigan (947720) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Warrant Officer II Warren Lee Dobson (R/99045) (RCAF) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flying Officer E B Drew (J/9419) (RCAF) (Pilot) Uninjured
Sergeant L A McCrea (R/151941) (RCAF) (Rear Gunner) Uninjured
Flight Sergeant Victor Mienert (425183) (Observer)
Flight Sergeant Harold Max Saunders (R/130592) (RCAF) (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 Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/271/304