LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Max ROSE
Service No: 418179
Born: Northcote VIC, 31 March 1923
Enlisted in the RAAF: 25 April 1942
Unit: No. 57 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station East Kirkby
Died: Air Operations: (No. 57 Squadron Lancaster aircraft ME868), France, 8 July 1944, Aged 21 Years
Buried: St Maclou-de-Folleville Churchyard, Seine Maritime, France
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Mayer and Jane Rose, of St. Kilda, Victoria, Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 129, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 2219 hours on the night of 7 July 1944 Lancaster ME868 took off from East Kirkby detailed to destroy a flying bomb storage depot at St-Leu-d’Esserent, France. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take-off and it failed to return to base. The aircraft crashed near St Maclou-de-Folleville, which is situated 18 miles south of Dieppe, France. Three of the crew members were killed were killed in the crash, two including the injured Sergeant Bale were taken prisoner and the remaining two crew members evaded capture.
The crew members of ME868 were:
Sergeant Frank Edwin Fricker Bale (976784) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator Air) PoW, Died from injuries: 6 September 1944
Flight Sergeant Charles Louis Carpenter (1395962) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Sergeant W D Charteris (1565842) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber) Evaded capture
Sergeant Jeremiah Healy (1892821) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
Warrant Officer II H W Richards (R/150920) (RCAF) (Navigator) PoW
Flying Officer Max Rose (418179) (Pilot)
Sergeant T Sharples (1759051) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer) Evaded capture
Sergeant Sharples later reported “The aircraft was homebound when attacked over Dieppe by enemy fighters. The aircraft received several hits. The bomb bay and starboard inner engine were on fire and the fuselage filled with smoke. The Captain was taking evasive action and ordered abandon at about 1,200 feet. I was second to jump from the front hatch along with the Nav and A/B. I saw the Aircraft burning as it went down followed by the enemy aircraft.”
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, 166/36/303