LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Stewart Burton GITSHAM
Service No: 407929
Born: Wolseley SA, 19 June 1913
Enlisted in the RAAF: 3 February 1941
Unit: No. 47 Squadron (RAF), Shandur, Egypt
Died: Air Operations (No. 47 Squadron Beaufort aircraft DE110), off Tobruk, Libya, 26 October 1942, Aged 29 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Frederick William and Ethel Stewart Gitsham, of Kings Park, South Australia. A.F.I.A., A.A.I.S.
Roll of Honour: Unley SA
Remembered: Column 265, Alamein Memorial, Egypt
Remembered: Panel 122, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
On 26 October 1942 Beaufort DE110 was in a formation of 8 Beauforts from No. 47 Squadron which left Gianaclis to strike against an enemy convoy of 2 motor vessels, a tanker and four destroyers nearing Tobruk. Blenheims and Beaufighters escorted the formation. The target convoy was seen at 32.20N 23.42E. The Beauforts carried out a torpedo attack and the Blenheims a low level bombing attack on the convoy. After carrying out the torpedo attack on a merchant vessel, Beaufort DE110 is believed to have crashed beside it.
The crew members of DE110 were:
Flying Officer Haraldur Johannes Davidson (J/6402) (RCAF) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Stewart Burton Gitsham (407929) (Observer)
Pilot Officer T H Jones (114893) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner) Rescued
Sergeant Sydney Roland Maldwyn Pugh (1117286) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
A report by Pilot Officer Jones stated “the aircraft sank immediately after hitting the sea, breaking up at the rear as it did so, I surfaced a few minutes later, and Sergeant Pugh surfaced just after him. Sergeant Pugh died before being picked up”. Sergeant Pugh is buried in the Tobruk War Cemetery, Libya.
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, 163/117/192