LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Herbert Frank FORD
Service No: 401632
Born: Mornington VIC, 28 April 1915
Enlisted in the RAAF: 3 March 1941
Unit: No. 14 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 14 Squadron Marauder aircraft FK366), Tunisia, 19 December 1942, Aged 27 Years
Buried: Enfidaville War Cemetery, Tunisia
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Robert and May Florence Ford, of Moonee Ponds, Victoria, Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 122, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 1700 hours on 19 December 1942 Marauder FK366 took off from Benghazi detailed to carry out a mine laying operation in Tunis Harbour. It was last seen an hour later by the crew of another aircraft on the same mission. It was then on the correct course and appeared to be in no difficulty. FK366 failed to return to base. It was later established that the aircraft had been hit by anti-aircraft fire and exploded with five crew members killed and one taken Prisoner of War.
The crew members of FK366 were:
Flying Officer Eric William Barr MID (402240) (RNZAF) (Observer)
Sergeant Frank Barratt (1076864) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant Herbert Frank Ford (401632) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flying Officer Peter Benson Martell (120866) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner) Unrecovered
Sergeant Samuel Hart Porteous (1059847) (RAFVR) (Second Pilot)
Pilot Officer J T Willis DFM (120485) (RAFVR) (Pilot) PoW
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, 163/113/303
Bibliography:
Napier, Michael Winged Crusaders: the exploits of 14 Squadron RFC & RAF 1915-1945, Pen & Sword Books, Barnsley UK, 2012