LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Harry RIDING
Service No: 403699
Born: West Maitland NSW, 5 May 1917
Enlisted in the RAAF: 2 March 1941
Unit: No. 100 Squadron (RAF), RAF Grimsby, Lincolnshire
Died: Air Operations: (No. 100 Squadron Lancaster aircraft ED599), Bay of Biscay, 4 March 1943, Aged 25 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of John and Elizabeth Riding, of West Maitland, New South Wales, Australia.
Roll of Honour: West Maitland NSW
Remembered: Panel 189, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey UK
Remembered: Panel 129, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Lancaster ED599 of 100 Squadron took off at 1838 hours from RAF Station Grimsby on 4 March 1943, being one of four Squadron aircraft to carry out mine laying from Cherbourg to Bordeaux. Two of the aircraft returned safely, one crashed and nothing further was heard of ED 599. A 1948 report stated that body of ED 599’s captain, Flight Lieutenant Curle, was recovered from the sea near St Nicholas on 3 April 1943 and buried at Chateau Cemetery, Isle d’Oleron. No trace of the aircraft was found which it was assumed crashed in the sea, with the remaining crew members lost at sea.
The crew members of ED599 were:
Pilot Officer Charles Stuart Challoner (131995) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Flight Lieutenant Richard Alexander Curle (121280) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Flying Officer Errol Clifton Crapp (411113) (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Sergeant Garnet Walter Durdin (416149) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant Daniel Last Gooch (1336491) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant David Adrian Hart (567377) (RAF) (Observer)
Flying Officer Harry Riding (403699) (Wireless Operator/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, 166/35/27