LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Brian Russell JAMES
Service No: 417490
Born: Malvern SA, 26 December 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 23 May 1942
Unit: No. 76 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Holme-upon-Spalding Moor, Yorkshire
Died: Air Operations (No. 76 Squadron Halifax aircraft LK733), North West Europe, 22 January 1944, Aged 23 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of William Hartley James and Ethel May James, of Adelaide, South Australia
Roll of Honour: Kent Town SA
Remembered: Panel 257, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey UK
Remembered: Panel 124, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
Halifax LK733 took off from Holme-upon-Spalding Moor at 1945 hours on the night of 21 January 1944 to attack Magdeburg, Germany, but the aircraft failed to return to base. In 1950 it was recorded that the crew were missing with no known grave.
The crew members of LK733 were:
Second Lieutenant A Nundskaast (1077) (Norwegian) (Pilot)
Sergeant Leonard George Driver (1318434) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Sergeant James Gorrie (1342377) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Flying Officer Brian Russell James (417490) (Air Bomber)
Sergeant Stephen Richard Jessamy (1389427) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Sergeant John Rose (1890273) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
Flying Officer Henry Wyatt (152738) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper 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, 166/20/98
Bibliography:
Chorley W R, To See the Dawn Breaking: 76 Squadron Operations, W R Chorley Devon UK, 1981