LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Alfred Edmund UNWIN
Service No: 421420
Born: Sydney NSW, 27 July 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 1 February 1942
Unit: No. 576 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Elsham Wolds
Died: Air Operations (No. 576 Squadron Lancaster aircraft LM381), Germany, 14 January 1944, Aged 23 Years
Buried: Hanover War Cemetery, Niedersachsen, Germany
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Machon and Frances Eleanor Unwin; husband of Lynda Margaret Unwin, of Balgowlah, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Croydon NSW
Remembered: Panel 131, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On the night of 14/15th January 1944, Lancaster LM381 took off from Elsham Wolds detailed to bomb Braunschweig, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base. The aircraft exploded after being hit by anti-aircraft fire, and it was believed to have crashed at Kollerbeck, 4kms south east of Schwalenberg. Five of the crew were members killed and the two who were blown clear by the explosion became prisoners.
The crew members of LM381 were:
Sergeant Arthur Barclay (1569993) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Sergeant G Boothman (1874019) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer) PoW
Sergeant Brian Edward Clarke (1867619) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
Sergeant Francis Charles Hickling (1576582) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Sergeant Alfred Clifford Jackson (1494300) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Flight Lieutenant T W G Morren (48008) (RAF) (Pilot) PoW
Flight Sergeant Alfred Edmund Unwin (421420) (Wireless Air Gunner)
In a PoW report Flight Lieutenant Morren stated: “The aircraft exploded and shortly afterwards caught fire. Flight Sergeant Unwin acknowledged the order to abandon. The Germans told me that some bodies were found in the aircraft and am uncertain if one of these was Unwin, and don’t know where he was buried.” Sergeant Boothman in his report said: “I believe Unwin lost his life.”
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, 166/41/9