LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Royal Robert RUDD
Service No: 418303
Born: Devonport TAS, 2 January 1913
Enlisted in the RAAF: 15 May 1942 (at Melbourne VIC)
Unit: No. 78 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Breighton
Died: Air Operations: (No. 78 Squadron Halifax aircraft LV877), France, 11 April 1944, Aged 31 Years
Buried: Poix-de-Picardie Churchyard, Locality Somme, France
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Bertie Andrew Augustus James Rudd and Inza Christina Sarah Rudd, of Bendigo, Victoria, Australia
Roll of Honour: Bendigo VIC
Remembered: Panel 129, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 2109 hours on the night of 10 April 1944 Halifax LV877 took off from Breighton detailed to bomb rail installations at Tergnier, France. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take-off and it failed to return to base. The aircraft crashed at Pierrecourt (Seine-Maritime), about 42 kms east south east of Dieppe, France. Six of the crew members were killed and one was taken prisoner.
The crew members of LV877 were:
Sergeant Robert Graham (1570906) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Vernon Henry Hawkins (1576122) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Sergeant W Keenan (1563329) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner) PoW
Flight Sergeant Royal Robert Rudd (418303) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Sergeant Walter Norman Smith (1590321) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Pilot Officer Lawrence Tait (174330) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Warrant Officer II Charles Lewis Weatherby (R/130225) (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 A9301, 418303