LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Ronald Jack BROWN
Service No: 437389
Born: Underdale SA, 27 November 1924
Enlisted in the RAAF: 30 January 1943
Unit: No. 3 (Pilot) Advanced Flying Unit (RAF), RAF Bibury, Gloucestershire
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 3 (Pilot) Advanced Flying Unit Oxford aircraft DF516), Gloucestershire, 21 September 1944, Aged 19 Years
Buried: Bath (Haycombe) Cemetery, Somerset
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Charles John and Olive Elizabeth Brown, of Seaton Park, South Australia.
Roll of Honour: Adelaide SA
Remembered: Panel 119, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
On the 21st September 1944, Oxford DF516 took off from RAF Bibury at 0955 hours and at approximately 1015 hours the aircraft was seen flying at just over tree tops in a low flying area. After some minutes the aircraft flew into pine trees and crashed, with the crew of two members killed. The accident was considered to be due to disobedience of orders by flying below 250 feet.
The crew members of DF516 were:
Flying Officer Robert James Newman (J/36366) (RCAF) (First Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Ronald Jack Brown (437389) (Second 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, 166/6/713