LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Vernon Nelson HANSEN
Service No: 429431
Born: Warwick QLD, 28 April 1923
Enlisted in the RAAF: 16 October 1942
Unit: No. 158 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Lissett
Died: Air Operations: (No. 158 Squadron Halifax aircraft LK875), France, 3 June 1944, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Criquebeuf-La-Compagne Churchyard, Eure, France
CWGC Additional Information: Son of William Henry and Rosie Maud Hansen, of Warwick, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Warwick QLD
Remembered: Panel 123, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 2224 hours on the night of 2 June 1944 Halifax LK875 took off from Lissett detailed to bomb railway yards at Trappes, France. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take-off and it failed to return to base. The aircraft crashed between Criquebeuf-La-Compagne (Eure) and Ecquetot two small communities north of the main road between Le Neubourg and Louvierssome some 20 kms north north west of Evreux. Five crew members were killed, one was taken prisoner and one evaded capture.
The crew members of LK875 were:
Sergeant D R Day (1324989) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner) PoW
Sergeant D G Gettings (907306) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer) Evaded capture
Flying Officer John Kinnaird Greenway (J/22100) (RCAF) (Navigator)
Flight Sergeant Vernon Nelson Hansen (429431) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant Thomas John Sheridan (2209172) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Pilot Officer Russell Bennett Thompson (J/86841) (RCAF) (Pilot)
Pilot Officer William Alexander Younie (J/89867) (RCAF) (Air Bomber)
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, 166/17/617