Ball, Brian Francis
Personal Information
Rank | P/O |
Forename(s) | Brian Francis |
Surname | Ball |
Gender | M |
Age | 30 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 26-06-1942 |
Next of Kin | Son of Frank Norman and Alice Ball, of Westcliff-On-Sea, Essex. B.A., Hons. (Cantab.), A.M.I.E.E. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Short Stirling I |
Serial Number | W7503 |
Markings | HA-R |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | United Kingdom |
Burial/Memorial Place | Runnymede Memorial |
Grave Reference | Panel 68. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 126 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 108148 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 3 |
Squadron | 218 (Gold Coast) |
Trade | Pilot |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | St. Mary's Church, Bexwell, Norfolk |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Stone Tablet |
Memorial Text | In memory of the squadrons based at R.A.F. Downham Market and those who have their lives during the 1939 - 1945 war |
Location | All Saints Church, Chedburgh, Suffolk |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | RoH and Sqn Crest |
Memorial Text | Roll of Honour and scroll remembering the members of the Royal and Polish Air Forces who served at RAF Chedburgh 1942 - 1946 |
Miscellaneous Information
Trained at the Government Flying Training School in Singapore (1941). His original service number was 785042. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1350/12 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1350/11 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 25-06-1942 |
End Date | 26-06-1942 |
Takeoff Station | Marham |
Day/Night Raid | Night (90% moon) |
Operation | Bremen. 960 Bomber Command aircraft were joined by 102 from Coastal Command. The stiff wind that kept cloud cover away by day dropped, allowing cloud to form over the target and made identification difficult. Attack mainly centred on the Focke-Wulf factory and the A. G. Weser and Deschimag shipyards. Gee equipped markers lit fires which most bombers then bombed, making the results more impressive than the Essen 1000 bomber raid. Very high OTU losses due to old aircraft and inexperience, making total losses 5%. 91 Group lost 11.6% of its aircraft |
Reason for Loss | Shot down by a night-fighter and crashed on the NW banks of the IJsselmeer |