Crittenden, Philip George
Personal Information
Rank | Sgt |
Forename(s) | Philip George |
Surname | Crittenden |
Gender | M |
Age | 20 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 20-10-1941 |
Next of Kin | Son of George Walter and Beatrice Annie Crittenden, of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Vickers Wellington IV |
Serial Number | Z1218 |
Markings | FU-D |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Belgium |
Burial/Memorial Place | Charleroi Communal Cemetery |
Grave Reference | Row T. Grave 12. |
Epitaph | LOVED ELDEST SON OF G.W. AND B.A. CRITTENDEN OF MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 1 |
Panel Number | 24 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 400410 |
Service | Royal Australian Air Force |
Group | 1 |
Squadron | 458 (Australian) |
Trade | Pilot |
Country of Origin | Australia |
Other Memorials
Location | Adjacent to former Main Guardroom, Holme on Spalding Moor, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Memorial Stone with inscribed Metal Plaque |
Memorial Text | A memorial to the members of 458 Sqn RAAF who gave their lives, 1941-1945 |
Location | All Saints Church, Holme on Spalding Moor, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Sqn Crest with inscribed Metal Plaque, Encased Woven Pennant |
Memorial Text | A pennant and plaque in memory of members of 458 Sqn RAAF who gave their lives, 1941-1945 |
Miscellaneous Information
Sgt Brown (AG) survived & recalls they had been in the air some six hours when, at 00.30 hours, their aircraft was attacked by a Messerschmitt bf-110. The aircraft was badly damaged. Sgt Brown rotated his turret to the right, and with the door facing outside bailed-out. Post war it was established by a Missing Research and Enquiry unit that the aircraft crashed at Marchienne on 20/10/1941 presumably as a result of enemy action. Marchienne is located approx 2 miles south west of Charleroi, Belgium. Sgt Brown (RAF) was a POW but all the rest of the crew were killed. |
Sgt Crittenden was the first Australian to be killed in an RAAF Squadron. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 20-10-1941 |
End Date | 21-10-1941 |
Takeoff Station | Holme-on-Spalding-Moor |
Day/Night Raid | Night (0% moon) |
Operation | Antwerp |
Reason for Loss | At 00.30 hours, their aircraft was attacked by a Messerschmitt bf-110. The aircraft was badly damaged, and crashed at Marchienne 2 miles south west of Charleroi, Belgium. |