Roll of Honour

Name	BROWN
First names	Reginald William
Rank	Sgt
Service	RAF
Service number	658431
Crew position	Bomb Aimer
Age	22
Date of death	30/03/43
Cemetery	Hannover War Cemetery Germany


SSD LFWU 373 [internal coding], 31 March, 16.30 hrs. Air District Command Roman XI Operations. Officer Hamburg Following the report of 30 March 43 about the enemy aircraft of the Lancaster type that crashed near Eilvese/Hannover, the Command reports the following about the six crew members that were killed: 1st. identification tag: Canadian J 12562 officer C F Mabee. 2nd. identification tag: 133488 C Jewell. 3rd no identification tag. Name and number found in boot: Carr 658415. Nrs 4 to 6: no identification tags, no identification of names possible. Airfield Command Wunstorf BR B nr. 530/43+ Translation by Theo Boiten
29/30 March, 1943; BERLIN: The last operation of the month was a return trip to the 'Big City'. Twelve Lancasters were offered and a take-off time was set for 18.30hrs. The take-off time was altered twice before the squadron departed to join the other 317 heavies heading for the German capital. Weather conditions were severe, with icing problems and badly predicted winds. The bulk of the bombing fell in open countryside to the south east of Berlin. Aircraft losses included 11 Lancasters, 7 Halifaxes and 3 Stirlings... 2 of the Lancasters were from 49 Squadron. Of the three fresh crews operating this night, two were missing. F/O George Mabee RCAF and crew were shot down by a night fighter, crashing near Neustadt at 03.26hrs. Six of the crew were killed; the rear gunner, Sgt Jones (who was seriously injured), survived to become a PoW. The remainder of the crew are buried together in Hannover. Lancaster ED469 (EA-A) F/O G.F. Mabee RCAF Pilot (Killed) Sgt J.A. Cross F/E (Killed) Sgt W. Carr NAV (Killed) Sgt A.S. McLaren W/AG (Killed) Sgt R.W. Brown A/B (Killed) Sgt G.A. Jones A/G (P.o.W.) Sgt J.G. Jewell A/G (Killed) Crew on their 1st operation
After his death, Sgt Carr's wife made a photo collage of her husband's crew. Click here to view the image (in a new window)