LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Robert Archer GROSVENOR
Service No: 417954
Born: Victor Harbour SA, 15 August 1923
Enlisted in the RAAF: 15 August 1942
Unit: No. 1652 Conversion Unit (RAF), RAF Marston Moor, Yorkshire
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 1652 Conversion Unit Halifax aircraft DT736), Dundonald Scotland, 29 March 1944, Aged 20 Years
Buried: Harrogate (Stonefall) Cemetery, Yorkshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Clifford Ivo and Lilian Grosvenor, of Glenelg, South Australia
Roll of Honour: Victor Harbour SA
Remembered: Panel 123, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
On the 29th March 1944, Halifax DT736 took off from RAF Marston Moor, at 1958 hours, detailed to carry out a non-operational night Bullseye exercise. While over Scotland, a blade broke away from the outer starboard engine and, out of control, the aircraft came down at 2218 to crash near Dundonald, five miles west south west from Kilmarnock in Ayrshire. The seven man crew was killed. The aircraft was on track at the time, and should have been at 18,000 feet.
The crew members of DT736 were:
Flight Sergeant Keith Jervis Caladine (421159) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Geoffrey Arthur Gooderham (425094) (Air Bomber)
Flight Sergeant Robert Archer Grosvenor (417954) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant William Henry Hickson (1442924) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Flight Sergeant Eric Lascelles Reay (426157) (Navigator)
Flight Sergeant Peter Sinclair (410567) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Ronald Charles Walker (426403) (Air Gunner)
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, 166/16/311