Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

In 1939, Horace Andrew Cummins was working as a shipping clerk at Leo Buring Pty Ltd, in George St Sydney.  Horace was the youngest son of Michael Joseph and Florence Cummins of Leonay near Penrith, husband of Beryl Lillian Cumins and father of John Henry Cummins.

Horace and Beryl were married at St. Declan's Church, Penshurst on 6th April, 1940.  His son, John, was born on 26 January, 1942.

Horace was keen to serve in the air force. On 11th July 1940 he applied to become an airman in the Royal Australian Navy, indicating a preference for becoming a wireless operator. His application was unsuccessful.

He applied again for Aircrew again on 11 Dec, 1941.

Horace was called up for the Citizen Military Forces (CMF), completing his Attestation Form on 16 January, 1942, beginning his service on 2 March 1942. He served 132 days as a Private in 3rd Australian General Transport Company before being discharged on 11th July, 1942 to join the Royal Australian Air Force.

Upon joining RAAF Horace progressed through his Australian training.  He was promoted to Leading Airman and recieved his Wireless Badge on 4th March, 1943.  After more training, this time in Port Pirie, Horace was promoted to Sergeant (Technician) (SGT(T) on 1 April, 1943,  receiving his Air Gunners Badge on 4th April, 1943.

Once Horace was deterimind to be physically and dentally fit, he commenced 6 days leave to spend time with his loved ones and attend to personal affairs.  This was last time Horace saw his wife Beryl and son John.

Horace embarked on the Mormacsea in Brisbane on 16th April, 1943.  The vessel sailed via the Panama Canal and  New York before crossing the Atlantic to the Uk, arriving on 10 June 1943.

On arrival in UK, the Australian Air Crews spent time in Brighton before bing posted to training.

Horace began operational training at RAF Station West Freugh, in Scotland on 13th July, 1943. 

On 17th August, 1943 Horace joined the Operational Training Unit (OTU) at RAF Lichfield in Staffordshire. Towards the end of his training he was promoted to Flight Sergeant.

After successful completion of the OTU training Horace & his fellow trainees were granted 25 days annual leave. This he spent travelling around Dorsset, Oxford, Thaxted and Windemere Lake in Cumbria.

Horace completed Lancaster Finishing Scool on 8th March, 1944 and was posted to No. 467 Squadron a RAAF bomber squadron.

Horace and his crew flew a number of successful missions  (detailed in the attached document) before their final mission on the night of 7 - 8 July, 1944, a raid on storage facilities near St. Leau d'Esserent. The plane Horace was on crashed at ‘Le Grand Montagny’ near Saint Germer de Fly. Six members of the LM-219 crew perished when the aircraft crashed. Horace was one of these.

For a more detailed account of the training, missions that Horace and his fellow crewmates flew including the last mission and survivor reports, please see the pdf in documents, written by Ted Cummins.  This document forms the basis of this biography.