LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Robert Alexander BARTSCH
Service No: 406284
Born: Boulder WA, 1 June 1917
Enlisted in the RAAF: 7 October 1940
Unit: Sea Rescue Flight RAF
Died: Air Operations: (Wellington aircraft T2551), Burg el Arab, Egypt, 25 November 1941, Aged 24 Years
Buried: El Alamein War Cemetery, Egypt
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Herrmann Alexander Bartsch and Gladys Bartsch, of Maylands, Western Australia
Roll of Honour: Kalgoorlie WA
Remembered: Panel 118, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Cenotaph Undercroft, State War Memorial, Kings Park WA
At 1900 hours on the night of 25 November 1941, Wellington T2551 on a sea rescue mission crashed and it was presumed the crash was due to enemy action. Five of the crew were killed, and Pilot Officer Ramsbottom was injured in the crash.
The crew members of T2551 were:
Pilot Officer Walter John Allatt (401718) (RNZAF) (Observer)
Sergeant Robert Alexander Bartsch (406284) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Edward Charles Grimley Brooks (406290) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Pilot Officer N A Ramsbottom (RAF) (Pilot) Injured
Sergeant Eric Smith (942402) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant George Leslie Swift (742574) (RAFVR) (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, 163/90/200