Date: 11th August 1944
Unit: No. 51 Squadron
Type: Halifax III
Serial: LW588
Code: MH-O
Base: Snaith, Yorkshire
Location: ?
Pilot: W/O. Robert Anthony Garrett 1031817 R.A.F.V.R. Age ? Killed
Fl/Eng: Sgt. Thomas Shaftsbury Cumbor 1591862 R.A.F.V.R. Age ? Killed
Nav: Flt/Sgt. Ernest William Royal 1531800 R.A.F.V.R. Age 23 Killed
Air/Bmr: Flt/Sgt. Clifford Oliver Victor Hunt 1586187 R.A.F.V.R. Age 20 Killed
W/Op/Air/ Gnr: Sgt. Eric Ahmed Osman 1602493 R.A.F.V.R Age 23 Killed
Air/Gnr: Flt/Sgt. Henry Brawn 1601100 R.A.F.V.R. Age 20 Killed (1)
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Albert Henry Leame 1295928 R.A.F.V.R. Age 21 Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Took off at 13.46 hrs. from Snaith to attack rail facilities at Somain. Part of a force of 459 aircraft (270 Lancaster's, 169 Halifax's and 20 Mosquitoes. The only aircraft lost was this Halifax LW588 and cause of loss and exact crash site not (yet) established.
(1) One of the usual air gunners, Fl/Sgt. Hugh Brenton Jones was in hospital on the day this crew were lost hence his survival and had been replaced by Flt/Sgt. Henry Brawn. Fl/Sgt. Jones was sadly killed on a later operation on the 18th December 1944 whilst on operation to Duisberg in NP934 MH-J.
Flt/Sgt. Brawn was the brother of Sgt Leonard Thomas Brawn who was with 76 Squadron. His brother amazingly survived 2 crashes - Halifax DT174 MP-W on 3rd July 1943 during a crash landing at Hartford Bridge, Hampshire after being hit by flak over the target and again with 76 Squadron flying a Halifax DT175 MP-T on the 13th July 1943 operation to Aachen - crashed immediately after take off. He was killed on 22nd October whilst on operation to Kassel LK664 MP-U.
Part of Halifax LW588 crew. (Courtesy 51 Squadron History Society)
Rear L-R: Fl/Sgt. Hugh Brenton Jones(1), Flt/Sgt. Clifford Oliver Victor Hunt, Flt/Sgt. Ernest William Royal
Front L-R: Sgt. Eric Ahmed Osman, W/O. Robert Anthony Garrett, Sgt. Albert Henry Leame
Above left: Flt/Sgt. Henry Brawn. Right: Sgt. Thomas Shaftsbury Cumbor (Courtesy 51 Squadron History Society)
Valenciennes (St. Roch) Communal Cemetery (C.W.G.C.)
Burial Details:
W/O Robert Anthony Garrett Valenciennes (St. Roch) Communal Cemetery Plot 1, Row A. Grave 11.
No further details as yet.
Sgt. Thomas Shaftsbury Cumbor Valenciennes (St. Roch) Communal Cemetery Plot 1, Row A, Grave 13.
No further details as yet.
Flt. Sgt. Ernest William Royal Valenciennes (St. Roch) Communal Cemetery Plot 4, Row AB, Grave 3.
Son of Ernest and Mary Elizabeth Royal, of Sunderland, Co. Durham; husband of Margaret Royal, of Sunderland.
Flt. Sgt. Clifford Oliver Victor Hunt Valenciennes (St. Roch) Communal Cemetery, Plot 4, Row AB, Grave 1.
Son of William James Hunt and Annie Mary Hunt, of Twickenham, Middlesex.
Sgt. Eric Ahmed Osman Valenciennes (St. Roch) Communal Cemetery, Plot 1, Row A, Grave 14.
Son of Ahmed and Dorothy Evelyn Osman.
Flt. Sgt. Henry Brawn Valenciennes (St. Roch) Communal Cemetery, Plot 4, Row AB, Grave 2.
Son of Alfred Charles and Emily Brawn, of Walthamstow, Essex. His brother, Leonard Thomas Brawn, also died on service.
Sgt. Albert Henry Leame Valenciennes (St. Roch) Communal Cemetery, Plot 1, Row A, Grave 12.
Son of Henry and Lily S. Leame, of Nottingham.
Researched by Peter Lord for the A.R. Society. Additional information received from Bill Chorley - "Bomber Command Losses Vol 3", Martin Middlebrook "Bomber Command War Diaries".
Plus of course the "51 Squadron History Society" Who send the Aircrew Remembrance Society some incredible information and continue to work uniting relatives of lost aircrews.
