Christopher Edward Thomas BARTRAM

BARTRAM, Christopher Edward Thomas

Service Numbers: 401759, VX43258
Enlisted: 8 July 1940
Last Rank: Flying Officer
Last Unit: No. 10 Squadron (RAAF)
Born: Islington, England, 17 October 1913
Home Town: Not yet discovered
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Insurance Actuary
Died: Flying Battle, died at sea, Bay of Biscay, Spain, Off Spain, 31 July 1942, aged 28 years
Cemetery: No known grave - "Known Unto God"
Lost at sea after aircraft force landed in the ocean and blew up., Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, England, United Kingdom
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Runnymede Air Forces Memorial
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World War 2 Service

3 Sep 1939: Involvement Flying Officer, 401759, No. 10 Squadron (RAAF)
8 Jul 1940: Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, VX43258
29 Mar 1941: Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 401759, No. 10 Squadron (RAAF)

Help us honour Christopher Edward Thomas Bartram's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Julianne Ryan

Born: 17 Oct 1913 Islington, England

Father Thomas Edward George Batram and Mother Lena Jessy Bartram
living at 9 Penarth Road, Bridgewater, Somerset, England

29/3/1941    enlisted in Melbourne, VIC

Flying Officer in 10th Squadron (RAAF)

*** service records need to be ordered through National Archives of Australia ***

31/7/1942     killed in flying battle

On 31 July 1942 disappeared in the Galician coast Sunderland W3994, had departed from Mount Batten at 02:15 in antisubmarine patrol and did not turn to hear the device. The aircraft took the maximum load of anti-submarine bombs and was to carry out a patrol along the Spanish coast just outside territorial waters. No signals were received from the aircraft which failed to return from the mission.

The entire crew disappeared:-

Short Sunderland Mk II;  W3994, RB-X;  10 Sqn RAAF

F/Lt Eric Bruce Martin - 280651 - RAAF
F/O Arthur Francis O'Dwyer - 405185 - RAAF
P/O Ernest F. Hamilton Frith - 403653 - RAAF
F/O Arthur Reginald Meaker - 416275 - RAAF
F/O Christopher E. Thomas Bartram - 401759 - RAAF
Sgt David Bell -. 406430 - RAAF
Sgt John Russell Mullins -. 4701 - RAAF
AC1 Nevil Thomas Cuddihy - 14521 - RAAF
Sgt Clive Thomas Bingham -. 4559 - RAAF
AC1 Garnet William White - 13891 - RAAF
Sgt Herbert Henry Fealy. - 11069 - RAAF

LAC. Charles L. Kenneth Johnson - 34754 - RAAF


"Sunderland III, W3999 of No 10 (RAAF) Squadron exploded after making a successful forced landing on the sea after being attacked by an Arado Ar 196 during an ASR patrol." courtesy of Malcolm

No known grave.

Commemorated on Panel 109 at Air Forces Memorial, Runnymede, Surrey, England.

His name is commemorated on Panel 99 at the Australian War Memorial,
Canberra, ACT.

His name is commemorated on the "Institute of Actuaries War Memorial plaque" at Staple Inn Hall's Council chamber, next to that for members who fell in World War I.

Sourced and submitted by Julianne T Ryan.  13/6/2016.   Lest we forget.

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