LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant George Henry ROSE
Service No: 437319
Born: Belvidere SA, 1 September 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 2 January 1943
Unit: No. 640 Squadron (RAF), RAF Leconfield, Yorkshire
Died: Air Operations (No. 640 Squadron Halifax aircraft LM499), Belgium, 13 May 1944, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Schoonselhof Cemetery, Antwerpen, Antwerpen, Belgium
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Tom Garner Rose and Effie Jean Rose, of Finniss, South Australia
Roll of Honour: Victor Harbour 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
At 2201 hours on the night of the 12/13th May 1944, Halifax LW499 took off from RAF Leconfield detailed to bomb the railway yards at Hasselt, Belgium. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base. It was believed that the aircraft was shot down by a night fighter and crashed near Genk (Limburg) Belgium. Six of the crew were killed and one became a Prisoner of War.
The crew members of LW499 were:
Flying Officer John Ivan Atkins (J/22534) (RCAF) (Navigator)
Flight Sergeant Donald Stirling Campbell (1314892) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Sergeant Leslie Robert Gee (1592752) (RAF) (Rear Gunner)
Sergeant Charles Geoffrey Lee (1144562) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Flight Sergeant George Henry Rose (437319) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Sergeant J S Scott (1544210) (RAF) (Wireless Air Gunner) PoW
Pilot Officer Douglas Osborne Thomas (J/87559) (RCAF) (Pilot)
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, 166/36/266