LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Harry Edgar DENNIS
Service No: 412408
Born: Thirlmere NSW, 22 July 1912
Enlisted in the RAAF: 19 July 1941
Unit: No. 512 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 512 Squadron Dakota aircraft FD899), London, 6 October 1943, Aged 31 Years
Buried: Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey UK
CWGC Additional Information: Husband of Phyllis Dulcie Dennis, of Orange, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Orange NSW
Remembered: Panel 121, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On the afternoon of 6 October 1943, Dakota FD899 was detailed to carry out an air test after a minor inspection. Nothing was heard from the aircraft and it failed to return to base. The aircraft d crashed at Bernard Baron Pavilion, Regents Park, London, at 1453 hours and all on board were killed. The aircraft was completely destroyed by the impact and it caught fire.
The crew members of FD899 were:
Aircraftman II Ronald Douglas Brown (1800466) (RAFVR) (Fitter II Airframe)
Flight Sergeant Henry Edgar Dennis (412408) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Aircraftman II Kenneth Thomas Ding (1399658) (RAFVR) (Fitter Mechanic Engines)
Flying Officer Theodore Myroslaw Hawryluk (J/20934) (RCAF) (Second Pilot)
Leading Aircraftman Jack Leonard Houghton (1213183) (RAFVR) (Fitter Mechanic Airframe)
Aircraftman I Ronald Eric Penn (1500925) (RAFVR) (Fitter Mechanic Engines)
Aircraftman I Hugh Richard Phillips (1279173) (RAFVR) (Fitter Mechanic Engines)
Flying Officer James Alan Robertson (119168) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Aircraftman II Dudley Austin Westcott (1355333) (RAFVR) (Fitter II Airframe)
In a flying accident report it found that the cause of the crash was: “the aircraft collided with balloon cables. Fifteen feet of the port extension main plane was completely severed by the first balloon cable, and the aircraft was struck by a second balloon cable further in board. No technical defect was suspected after checking with eye witnesses to the accident.”
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 A 705, 166/1/188