LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Henry Graham Ronaldson CORSER
Service No: 404718
Born: Brisbane QLD, 16 October 1915
Enlisted in the RAAF: 8 November 1940
Unit: No. 460 Squadron, RAF Breighton, Yorkshire
Died: Air Operations (No. 460 Squadron Wellington aircraft Z1388), France, 6 May 1942 Aged 26 Years
Buried: Pihen-Les-Guines Communal Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Ernest Henry and Cecil Geraldine Corser, of Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia. A.F.I.A., A.A.I.S.
Roll of Honour: Toowong QLD
Remembered: Panel 107, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Wellington Z1388 took off at 2105 hours on 6 May 1942 from RAF Breighton to bomb Stuttgart, Germany, being one of 10 aircraft from the Squadron on the mission. Z 1388 returned from the mission at 0550 hours on 7 May. The second pilot, Sergeant Corser was found to be missing from the aircraft and as a large hole was found in the bottom of the fuselage in the mid under gun position, it was assumed that Sergeant Corser kicked the hole prior to abandoning the aircraft. All the remaining crew members returned safely to base.
The crew members of Z1388 were:
Sergeant Bernard George Payn Balleine (407280) (Air Gunner) Killed on Air Operations: 30 May 1942
Flying Officer Thomas Harrison Bourke (407192) (Pilot) Killed on Air Operations: 30 May 1942
Flight Sergeant Henry Graham Ronaldson Corser (404718) (Second Pilot)
Sergeant Richard Paterson Davis (407285) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner) Killed on Air Operations: 30 May 1942
Sergeant Ian Grantley Holborow (402290) (Air Gunner) PoW: 30 May 1942, Discharged from the RAAF: 16 November 1945
Pilot Officer William Martin Murphy (404353) (Observer) Killed on Air Operations: 30 May 1942
In a later statement Flying Officer Bourke reported that when the aircraft was returning from the mission it met heavy anti-aircraft fire and searchlight activity over the French coast near Gravelines. He took violent evasive action and then called up each crew member and receiving no reply from Corser sent the Wireless Operator to look for him. It was then discovered that Corser was missing from the aircraft having taken his parachute and left his helmet behind. A large hole was found in the bottom of the fuselage with the escape hatch broken open and it was assumed that Sergeant Corser had baled out over enemy territory. No orders had been given to the crew to abandon the aircraft.
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, 163/98/501
Bibliography:
Firkins, P. C. (Peter Charles) (441386) Strike and Return, Westward Ho Publishing City Beach WA, 1985