LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Ronald Arthur BROODBANK
Service No: 405256
Born: Cooktown QLD 16 October 1917
Enlisted in the RAAF: 10 February 1941
Unit: No. 23 Operational Training Unit (RAF), Detachment RAF Station Stradishall, Suffolk
Died: Air Operations: (No. 23 Operational Training Unit Wellington aircraft N2851), Netherlands, 31 May 1942, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Rotterdam (Crooswijk) General Cemetery, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Arthur William and Effie Florence Broodbank, of Clayfield, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Samarai, Papua
Remembered: Panel 119, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Wellington N2851 took off from Stradishall at 2312 hours on the night of 30 May 1942, detailed to attack Cologne, Germany. The aircraft failed to return to base. Following post war enquiries and investigations it was established that the aircraft crashed near Gravendeel Zuid, Holland, and the remains of Flight Sergeant Johnston and Sergeant Broodbank were interred at Grosswijk Cemetery, Rotterdam. The severity of the explosion in the crash was such that it was found impossible to recover the remains of the other three missing crew members and in 1948 it was recorded that they had no known grave. Their names are commemorated on the Memorial to the Missing, Runnymede, UK.
The crew members of N2851 were:
Sergeant George Frederick Bolton (401412) (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Sergeant Ronald Arthur Broodbank (405256) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant James Donn-Patterson (403132) (Observer)
Sergeant Michael Lotherington Glenton-Wright (404913) (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant William Ross Campbell Johnson (R/86418) (RCAF) (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 Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/93/531