See also

Sergeant Horace William Austin (1922-1943)

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Horace William Austin

Individual Events and Attributes

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1943 war memorial Horace William Austin

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HZ582 memorial i

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HZ582 memorial ii

  • Occupation:

  •  

  • engraver3

  • Birth:

  • 19 Sep 1922

  • Lambeth "Registration District", London, England1,3

  • Census:

  • 29 Sep 1939 (age 17)

  • 31 Linton Grove, West Norwood, London, England3

  •  

  • an unmarried apprentice process engraver living with his parents Francis and Rose, and sister Olive. Born on 19th September 1922

  • Death:

  • 24 May 1943 (age 20)

  • Schaijk, North Brabant, Netherlands2,4,5,6

  •  

  • Cause: in action

    he was a pilot flying his second mission for 199 Squadron from RAF Ingham in a Wellington HZ582 when it was shot down by a JU88 night fighter on the return leg after bombing Dortmund. The Wireless Operator A Herbert and Rear Gunner R M Costella were also killed, the Navigator D R Koevers and Air Bomber J P E Last became POWs. The aircraft was shedding fuel and crashes to the ground close to a farmhouse. There was a huge explosion, burning aircraft parts flying all around. Toon Van Duren the farmer just had enough time to get his family out of the farmhouse which was was ablaze. They lost the farmhouse and all their possessions. A few hours later the bodies of three airmen were found amongst the wreckage. They were buried in the graveyard of St Peters in Uden and later moved to the Uden War Cemetery

  • War Memorial:

  •  

  • Uden War Cemetery, Bergmeester Buskensstraat, Uden, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands2

  •  

  • a sergeant (pilot) no:1331903 in 199 Squadron Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve died 24th May 1943. Son of Francis and Rose Laura Austin, of West Norwood London

Sources

1.

England and Wales Birth Index 1837 - 2021, (on-line at www.gro.gov.uk, www.findmypast.co.uk and www.ancestry.co.uk). Lambeth 1922 quarter:4 volume:1d page:700. Cit. Date: 7 April 2020.

2.

Commonwealth War Grave Commission, (on-line at www.cwgc.org). 199 Squadron Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve no:1331903. Cit. Date: 8 April 2020.

3.

UK 1939 Register, (on-line at www.findmypast.co.uk). class:RG101 piece:0368A page:6 line:34 letter code:ANPQ. Cit. Date: 3 August 2020.

4.

Carol Wharmby-Gordon RAF Ingham 199 Sqn researcher personal communication. email with a description and mission records. Cit. Date: 15 January 2021.

5.

Ibid. email with a description of the crash. Cit. Date: 7 July 2021.

6.

Traces of War, (on-line at www.tracesofwar.com). www.tracesofwar.com/sights/121075/Memorial-Wellington-HZ582.htm. Cit. Date: 15 July 2021.