LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Frederick Ben WHITE
From Australia serving in the Royal Air Force
Service No: 633512 (RAF)
Born: Birth registered Beverley WA, 1912
Enlisted in the RAF: Date unavailable
Unit: No. 7 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Oakington
Died: Injuries from Air Operations (loss of No. 7 Squadron Stirling I aircraft N3643 on 24 March 1941: Bomber Command 1941-2), Suffolk, 30 March 1941, Age unavailable
Buried: Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey
CWGC Additional Information: Son of William Benjamin Harris White and Elizabeth Mary Ann White, of Brookton, Western Australia; husband of Phyllis White
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Stirling N3643 took off from RAF Station Newmarket, Suffolk, to attack Calais, France. The aircraft caught fire in flight and, while trying to force-land, collided with high tension cables and struck the roof of a house before crashing on Hazelwood Common near Leiston, Suffolk, at 0152 hours on 24 March 1941. Six crew members were killed and Sergeant White was fatally injured.
The crew members of N3643 were:
Sergeant John Butterworth Clarke (639565) (RAF) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Philip Green (530614) (RAF) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant Antony John Roberts (745524) (RAFVR) (Second Pilot)
Squadron Leader Stuart Alistair Frederick Robertson (39259) (RAF) (Pilot)
Sergeant Eric Victor Seymour (526601) (RAF) (Observer)
Sergeant Gilbert Maurice Short (567767) (RAF) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant Frederick Ben White (633512) (RAF) (Wireless Air Gunner) Fatally injured, Died: 30 March 1941
References:
Chorley, W.R. Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War Volume 2 Aircraft and Aircrew Losses 1941, Midland Counties Publications UK, 1993
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records