Musgrave, Philip Arthur
Personal Information
Rank | P/O |
Forename(s) | Philip Arthur |
Surname | Musgrave |
Gender | M |
Age | 21 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 17-08-1944 |
Next of Kin | Adopted son of William Preston Musgrave and Mary Kezia Musgrave (née Bramble), of Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster III |
Serial Number | PA988 |
Markings | LQ-P |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Denmark |
Burial/Memorial Place | Svino Churchyard |
Grave Reference | Grave 84. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 217 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | J/88134 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 6 |
Squadron | 405 (Vancouver) |
Trade | Air Gunner |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | Adjacent to Village Windmill, Mill Rd, Great Gransden, Cambridgeshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Memorial Stone with inscribed Metal Plaque |
Memorial Text | Remembering 405 (Vancouver) Sqn. PFF at Gransden Lodge 1942 - 1945 |
Location | St. Bartholomew's Church, Great Gransden, Cambridgeshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stained Glass Window, RoH and inscribed metal plaque |
Memorial Text | Commemorating the 801 airmen of 405 Sqn. RCAF who gave their lives 1941 - 1945 |
Location | Pocklington Gliding Club, Pocklington Airfield, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Marble Pillar and inscribed metal plaque |
Memorial Text | In memory of 102 (Ceylon) and 405 (Vancouver) Sqns. Pocklington Airfield |
Miscellaneous Information
Of the surviving crew, four evaded capture and two became PoW |
Philip was born on 11 October 1922 at Halifax, Nova Scotia. He was adopted by William and Mary Musgrave. His father was born in North Sydney, Nova Scotia and worked as a plumber and his mother was born in Gravesend, Kent, England. Although it was mentioned that Philip was adopted, they are shown on the records as his Foster parents. He went to Argyle Public School, 1927-1936 (grades 1-8) and then Sydney Academy 1936- 1940 (grades 8-11). His sport interests were bowling, swimming, and tennis. During 1940-1941 Philip worked as a clerk in Canadian Department Stores and then, also as a clerk, with the Maritime Telegraph & Telephone Company, Sydney, 1941-1943. |
He enlisted on 10 May 1943 and after training embarked for the U.K. where he arrived on 10 November at 3 PRC. He then went on to 22 OTU on 30 November 1943, 61 Base 28 February 1944, 428 Sqn on 22 May 1944 and reached 405 Squadron 19 July 1944. Sadly on 17 August 1944 Philip lost his life. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 16-08-1944 |
End Date | 17-08-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Gransden Lodge |
Day/Night Raid | Night (3% moon) |
Operation | Stettin. 461 Lancasters, 5 lost (1.1%). An accurate attack with much damage to the port and industrial areas. Five ships were sunk and 8 seriously damaged. The death toll was very high- 1150 with 1654 being injured |
Reason for Loss | On the approach to the target, PA988 was coned by searchlights and damaged by heavy flak, damaging the ailerons and the port elevator was broken in two. The bomb load was nevertheless dropped on Stettin from 18,000 feet at 01:45 hours. A matter of a few minutes later the aircraft was attacked by a German night fighter flown by Lt. Klaus Möller of 12./NJG 3, cannon shells hitting the rear turret and along the full length of the fuselage., killing F/S Musgrave. The fuselage and starboard wing caught light and the aircraft was partially abandoned. The aircraft blew up at 8000 feet before crashing near Allindemagle on the island of Sjælland. The wreckage was spread over several square kilometres. |