Herbert Keith COOMBE

COOMBE, Herbert Keith

Service Number: 433197
Enlisted: 27 February 1943, Sydney, NSW
Last Rank: Flight Sergeant
Last Unit: No. 186 Squadron (RAF)
Born: Broken Hill, NSW, 17 March 1924
Home Town: Broken Hill, Broken Hill Municipality, New South Wales
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Not yet discovered
Died: Aircraft Shot Down on night bombing raid, North West Europe, 20 November 1944, aged 20 years
Cemetery: Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany
Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Kleve, Germany
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, International Bomber Command Centre Memorial
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World War 2 Service

27 Feb 1943: Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Aircraftman 2 (WW2), 433197, Aircrew Training Units, Sydney, NSW
28 Feb 1943: Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Aircraftman 2 (WW2), 433197, Aircrew Training Units, Empire Air Training Scheme
20 Nov 1944: Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Sergeant, 433197, No. 186 Squadron (RAF), Air War NW Europe 1939-45, Aircraft lost with entire crew on raid to Homberg

Help us honour Herbert Keith Coombe's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Steve Larkins

Herbert Keith COOMBE (1924-1944)

 

Herbert Coombe was the rear gunner of Lancaster HK622, which unusually in an RAF squadron, had four RAAF crew members.  The aircraft, captained by Flight Lieutenant George WILLIAMSON, who had been recommended and subsequently awarded posthumously the DFC for an earlier mission with this crew)  took off from RAF Tuddenham at 1237 hours on the 20th November1944, detailed to bomb Homberg, Germany.

Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base. A Missing Research & Enquiry team reported later: “The aircraft was shot down by heavy anti-aircraft fire and exploded in the air at Baerl, 4 to 5 kms north east of Moers at 1515 hours on 20th November.” All the crew members were killed.

The crew on this raid was:

Flight Sergeant Wallace Patrick Burton (432748) RAAF (Mid Upper Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Herbert Keith Coombe (433197) RAAF (Rear Gunner)
Sergeant Arthur Ernest Piggin (976406) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Warrant Officer Arthur Edward Jarvis Stiles (423349) RAAF (Wireless Operator Air)
Flight Sergeant Kenneth Henry Turner (1458457) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Flight Lieutenant George Edward Williamson DFC (426933) RAAF (Pilot)
Flying Officer Edward Winton (153353) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)

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