Brown, David Oscar
Personal Information
Rank | F/O |
Forename(s) | David Oscar |
Surname | Brown |
Gender | M |
Age | 30 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 21-07-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of David Thomas Brown and Jean Brown (née Simpson), of Rose Plain, Saskatchewan, Canada. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster I |
Serial Number | ME858 |
Markings | JI-J |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Netherlands |
Burial/Memorial Place | Hunsel RC Churchyard |
Grave Reference | Grave 2. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 136 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | J/35242 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 3 |
Squadron | 514 |
Trade | Navigator |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | Church of St. John the Evangelist, Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Stone Memorial and RoH |
Memorial Text | Roll of Honour and memorial to the members of 514 Sqn who served at RAF Waterbeach 1943-1945 |
Miscellaneous Information
German soldiers tried to take the bodies of the crew but the vicar of Hunsel would not allow them to. He stood his ground with the locals' support and gave them a Christian burial. The locals visited the graves frequently, and in reprisal the German soldiers destroyed a major part of the church. This has since been rebuilt. A memorial made from parts of the Lancaster has since been erected and every year the church and locals hold a memorial service for them. |
David was born at Rose Plain, Saskatchewan on 19 July 1914. His father was a farmer, born in Ontario, and his mother was also born there. He had one sister, Mary Agnes and a brother, John Karl, had sadly died in 1920. David had attended Briarcliffe School 1921-1928 and Regina College 1928-1931 continuing 1931-1932 to study second year Arts. Between 1932-1934 he was working as a farmer for his father, D. T. Brown and also attended Normal School where he was teaching. Between 1935 and 1939 he was teaching at Briarcliffe school Board and was then at home farming 1939-1941. Finally he worked in the Parts Dept. of General Motors until enlisting on 15 May 1942. His hobbies were mechanics and the radio, and he enjoyed playing basketball . |
After finishing his training, David was posted to the U.K.and embarked from Canada on 9 October 1943. After arriving at 3 PRC on 18 October 1943 he continued to 6 (0) AFU 16 November 1943, 26 OTU 11 January 1944, 26 OTU 11 January 1944, 31 Base 21 April 1944, and at 514 Squadron on 29 June 1944. Sadly David then lost his life on 21 July 1944. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1981/32 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1978/1 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 20-07-1944 |
End Date | 21-07-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Waterbeach |
Day/Night Raid | Night (1% moon) |
Operation | Homberg- Meerbeck oil plant. 158 aircraft (149 Lancasters and 11 Mosquitoes) of which 20 Lancasters were downed, mainly due to night-fighter activity. Caused severe damage to the plant, resulting in output dropping from 6000 tones of fuel per day to as little as 120. The 8th Air Force also hit this target. |
Reason for Loss | Crashed SW of Hunsel, Holland- close to the Belgian border. |