LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Herbert Munro SIMS
Service No: 405367
Born: Warwick QLD, 6 August 1908
Enlisted in the RAAF: 3 March 1941
Unit: No. 57 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 57 Squadron Lancaster aircraft W4359), Cornwall, 17 December 1942, Aged 34 Years
Buried: Helston Cemetery, Cornwall
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Herbert and Betsy Sims, of Warwick, Queensland, Australia; husband of Inez Audrey Sims, of Brisbane, Queensland
Roll of Honour: Warwick QLD
Remembered: Panel 130, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
When on a training flight on the night of 16/17 December 1942 Lancaster W4359 crashed at 0300 hours some 5 miles north east of Predannack airfield, Cornwall. Although the reason for the accident was obscure, it was believed that the aircraft was struck by lightning causing a photo flash flare to ignite. All the crew members were killed.
The crew members of W4359 were:
Sergeant Robert Sidney Doore (1580650) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Sergeant John Oswald Irving (1557616) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Sergeant Thomas Irvine Manson (413102) (RNZAF) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Ewen Cameron McPhee (R/90725) (RCAF) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flying Officer Francis George Shell (119896) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Sergeant Herbert Munro Sims (405367) (Rear Gunner)
Sergeant William Henry Taylor (613131) (RAF) (Flight Engineer)
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, 163/162/566