Harry Stewart CHATTO

CHATTO, Harry Stewart

Service Number: 421569
Enlisted: 28 February 1942
Last Rank: Flying Officer
Last Unit: No. 180 Squadron (RAF)
Born: Kogarah, New South Wales, Australia, 12 March 1920
Home Town: Kogarah, Sydney, New South Wales
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Senior Audit clerk
Died: Flying Battle, Germany, 21 March 1945, aged 25 years
Cemetery: Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany
Joint Grave 21. A. 6-7.
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour
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World War 2 Service

3 Sep 1939: Involvement Flying Officer, 421569
28 Feb 1942: Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Aircraftman 2 (WW2), 421569, No. 2 Initial Training School Bradfield Park
28 Feb 1942: Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Aircraftman 2 (WW2), 421569, No. 2 Initial Training School Bradfield Park
11 Jan 1944: Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Pilot Officer, 421569, No. 226 Squadron (RAF), Air War NW Europe 1939-45
2 Jul 1944: Promoted Royal Australian Air Force, Pilot Officer, No. 226 Squadron (RAF)
3 Jan 1945: Promoted Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, No. 226 Squadron (RAF)
24 Feb 1945: Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 421569, No. 180 Squadron (RAF), Air War NW Europe 1939-45, Killed in Action over Bucholt, Germany

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Biography contributed by David Barlow

Mitchell bomber KJ563 of 180 Squadron RAF was shot down by anti-aircraft fire over the target area of Bocholt, Germany with 3 members of the all RAAF crew killed:

Flying Officer Harry Stewart Chatto 421569

Flying Officer Robert Millar Kennard 422080

Flying Officer Leslie Albert Ellis 422151 (survived the loss of Ventura aircraft AE678 in May 1943 while undergoing training in Canada - Sergeant Rogers 421828 was killed in that incident)

Flight Sergeant John Milton Farr 422472 bailed out of the stricken aircraft and survived to become a Prisoner of War - he was liberated by advancing Allied forces in early April and was discharged from the RAAF in July 1946

 

Information from http://www.rafcommands.com/archive/06573.php

On 21 March 1945 six Mitchell bombers from 180 Squadron RAF of the Second Tactical Air Force took off from B.58 advanced airfield near Melsbroek in Belgium on a mission to bomb the rail marshalling yards in Bocholt, Germany

Mitchell KJ563 with a 4 man RAAF crew was hit by flak and crashed at a farm in the Stenern district near Bocholt

Mitchell FW236 with a 5 man RAF crew was shot down by flak and crashed 5 km north east of Borken

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