LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer Robert Edward ROBERTS
Service No: 417760
Born: Adelaide SA, 16 August 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 9 July 1942
Unit: No. 218 Squadron (RAF), RAF Chedburgh, Suffolk
Died: Air Operations (No. 218 Squadron Lancaster aircraft PB674), Germany, 12 December 1944, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Alfred John and Ruby Gladys Roberts, of Glandore, South Australia; husband of Sylvia Ruby Roberts, of Bargoed, Glamorgan, South Wales.
Roll of Honour: Adelaide SA
Remembered: Panel 129, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
Lancaster PB674 took off from RAF Chedburgh at 1112 hours on the 12th December 1944, detailed to bomb Witten. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base. The aircraft crashed on 12th December 1944 and all the crew members were killed.
The crew members of BP674 were:
Flight Sergeant Eric David Brick (1260504) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Sergeant William John Roy Jeffree (1896555) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Sergeant Kenneth Jones (2230542) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator Air)
Sergeant Reginald John Ketley-Rolph (591864) (RAF) (Navigator)
Pilot Officer Robert Edward Roberts (417760) (Pilot)
Sergeant Harry Roy Williams (2220951) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
Sergeant John Williams (2210669) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper 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, 166/36/412