LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Albert Alfred HARRIS
Service No: 417837
Born: Woodside SA, 12 November 1910
Enlisted in the RAAF: 18 July 1942
Unit: No. 576 Squadron (RAF), RAF Elsham Wolds, Lincolnshire
Died: Air Operations (No. 576 Squadron Lancaster aircraft DV382), Germany, 16 December 1943, Aged 33 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Alfred and Florence Harris; husband of Eva Olive Harris, of Adelaide, South Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 192, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey UK
Remembered: Panel 123, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
Lancaster DV382 of No 576 Squadron was detailed to operate against Berlin on the night of 16/17 December 1943. The aircraft left RAF Station Elsham Wolds at the appointed time, but nothing further was heard of the aircraft or crew. In 1947, a report from No 4 MREU, RAF (Germany) established that the aircraft crashed in the vicinity of Berlin-Lichtenberg, Map Ref N53 Z9253. Investigations were carried out in the Berlin area and at Doeberitz-Elsgrund cemetery, about 16 kms west of Berlin. Despite exhaustive searches and interrogations of local authorities, it was not possible to obtain any information of actual location of crash. Exhumations at the Doeberitz-Elsgrund cemetery located 2 members of the crew but it could not be established whether the remainder of the crew were buried there.
The crew members of DV382 were:
Sergeant Jack Leslie Barrett (577074) (RAF) (Flight Engineer)
Flying Officer Geoffrey Livingstone Blackmore (422388) (Navigator)
Flight Sergeant Cyril Chapman (1425936) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Flight Sergeant Albert Alfred Harris (417837) (Air Gunner)
Flying Officer Ronald Stenhouse McAra (134095) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Sergeant Eric Russom (RAF) (1214848) (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Malcolm George Western (417917) (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, 166/17/406