Brittain, John Charles
Personal Information
Rank | Sgt |
Forename(s) | John Charles |
Surname | Brittain |
Gender | M |
Age | 22 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 18-01-1943 |
Next of Kin | Son of Charles Henry Brittain and Louisa Brittain (née Evans), of Central Stores, Batham Gate Road, Peak Dale, Chapel en le Frith, Derbyshire. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster I |
Serial Number | R5575 |
Markings | OF-L |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Netherlands |
Burial/Memorial Place | Ulrum General Cemetery, De Marne |
Grave Reference | Row 1st Class G/H. Grave 9. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 1 |
Panel Number | 13 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 1020217 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 5 |
Squadron | 97 (Straits Settlements) |
Trade | Wireless Operator |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | Thorpe Camp, Tattershall Thorpe, Lincolnshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stone Memorial with Inscribed Lettering and Sqn Badges |
Memorial Text | A memorial to those who flew from RAF Woodhall Spa during WW2, including 619 Sqn |
Location | Church of the Holy Spirit, RAF Coningsby, Coningsby, Lincolnshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stained Glass Window |
Memorial Text | A stained glass window remembering 97 Sqn in the Church of the Holy Spirit, RAF Coningsby |
Miscellaneous Information
Born 7 July 1920, Chapel en le Frith. His father was a master Grocer and John was an Art Student. |
His body was recovered from the River Rietdiep near Zoutcamp, 22km NW of Groningen on 9 April 1943 and buried the following day at nearby Ulrum. His was the only body to be recovered, all the other crew members being commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/767/2 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/767/1 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 17-01-1943 |
End Date | 18-01-1943 |
Takeoff Station | Woodhall Spa |
Day/Night Raid | Night (90% moon) |
Operation | Berlin |
Reason for Loss | Shot down by a night-fighter flown by Oblt. Ludwig Becker of 12./NJG1, at approx. 23.03hrs North of Terschelling. Crashed into the Waddenzee between the Dutch coast and the Frisian islands. |