LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Charles Loxley HARRIS
Service No: 411702
Born: Penrith NSW, 26 May 1909
Enlisted in the RAAF: 24 May 1941
Unit: No. 5 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 5 Operational Training Unit Beaufort aircraft EL131), Northern Ireland, 15 May 1943, Aged 33 Years
Buried: Belfast City Cemetery, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Charles Loxley Harris and Lilian Florence Barbera Harris; husband of Alice Jean Harris, of Birdwood, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Wauchope NSW
Remembered: Panel 123, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 15 May 1943 Beaufort EL131 was detailed to carry out a daytime non-operational training exercise No 2. The aircraft crashed at 0920 hours 1 mile north of Shields Corner, The Cheegh, Castle Dawson, Londonderry, and all five on board were killed.
The crew members of EL131 were:
Sergeant Arthur Reginald Davis (414730) (RNZAF) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Keith Thomas Devery (416683) (RNZAF) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Donald Murray Gibson (413982) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Charles Loxley Harris (411702) (Navigator Bomb Aimer)
Aircraftman Class II Dennis Henry O’Brien (1800327) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator)
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, 166/17/150