LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Eric Raymond CLAYWORTH
Service No: 423063
Born: Singleton NSW, 26 February 1919
Enlisted in the RAAF: 20 June 1942
Unit: No. 138 Squadron (RAF), RAF Tempsford, Bedfordshire
Died: Air Operations (No. 138 Squadron Halifax aircraft LL356), off the Netherlands, 27 April 1944, Aged 25 Years
Buried: Terschelling (West Terschelling) General Cemetery, Friesland, Netherlands
CWGC Additional Information: Son of John Harold and Amelia Ethel Clayworth; husband of Pearl Clayworth, of Willoughby, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Singleton NSW
Remembered: Panel 260, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey UK
Remembered: Panel 120, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Singleton War Memorial, Singleton NSW
Halifax LL356 of No. 138 Squadron took off from RAF Tempsford on the night of 27/28th April 1944, on Operation Osric 59. The aircraft did not return to base from the special operations mission. The aircraft set course for Belgium probably taking the northerly route, and it came down into the sea off the Dutch Frisian Islands. All the crew members lost their lives.
The crew members of LL356 were:
Warrant Officer II Arthur John George Barnes (R/157147) (RCAF) (Air Bomber)
Sergeant Hubert Francis Benbow (1046454) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator Air)
Flight Sergeant Eric Raymond Clayworth (423063) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant George Partridge Croad (1890979) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Flight Sergeant Herbert Dootson (1032035) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Flight Sergeant James Ethelred Smythe (R/191191) (RCAF) (Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant George Herbert Williamson (414741) (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, 166/7/488
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line