STUART, Phillip Gordon
R/93568
Flight Sergeant (Air Gunner)
Phillip Gordon STUART
Royal Canadian Air Force in RAF (New Zealand) 75 Squadron
Killed on Active Duty on Friday 9th April 1943
Aged 30
"For ever and ever, be strong"
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Born 15th December 1915 in Irma, Alberta (about 18 miles NW of Wainwright), the son of John William and Lilian Elizabeth STUART (née SCOTT) of Wainwright, Alberta, Canada. His father was USA born, taking Canadian papers in
1905, dying in 1940. His mother remained in Wainwright, Alberta as his next of kin ( he was single). Philip was a truck driver on enlistment. He was 5 feet 63/4 inches tall, weighing 173 lbs, brown hair, blue eyes. Entering the R.C.A.F. on 15th March 1941, his Canadian based training as air gunner ended in May 1942 when, as a Temp Sergeant he came to England. Promoted to T/Flight Sergeant on 25th October 1942. He was at 7 Air Gunnery School from 18 August 1942, then went to 1483 Bombing and Gunnery Flying Unit on 10 Sept 1942. From there, on 10 October he was posted to 1651 Conversion Unit, before attachment to 214 Squadron RAF. He arrived at 75 (NZ) Squadron on 8th February 1943. The medal on the right of his bar is the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with clasp. This was for volunteering for active service and the maple leaf represents the clasp for service outside Canada. We are indebted to the Library and Archives Canada for Philip's service record above. Short Stirling Mk3 BK770 c/s AA-L was delivered to No.75 Sqdn 2/4/1943. This was the first Stirling Mk3 to be lost by 75 Sqdn. Nine aircraft were detailed to carry out a raid on Duisburg, in the Ruhr, with bombs of 1000 lb. and incendiaries of 30 lb. and 4 lb. Four of the aircraft however were forced to return early owing to severe icing conditions, which prevented the aircraft from gaining height. Four of the remaining aircraft successfully bombed the target through cloud. Large fires were seen glowing below the clouds. A fair amount of heavy predicted A.A.Fire was encountered, some enemy aircraft were seen, but no combats took place. The weather was 10/10ths cloud, with electrical storms, rain and severe icing, which prevented this operation from being a complete success. Airborne at 21:30 on 8/4/1943 from Newmarket 'AA:L' and her crew of seven survived the raid and were almost back home to their base at Newmarket Heath. They had made radio contact with the Squadron at 1:10 am reporting their progress home and all seemed well. Nothing more was heard from AA:L, but then while overflying Diss, just 30 miles from home, the aircraft went out of control and entered a near-vertical dive, crashing at Valley Farm, Bressingham, 3 miles WNW of Diss. The cause of the loss of control of the aircraft is still unknown. An oak tree now stands at the site of the crash as a permanent memorial to the crew who were: W/O J.A.E.Walsh RNZAF KIA; Sgt J.H.Worthington KIA; F/S B.A.Moffatt RCAF KIA; Sgt F.H.Reddicliffe KIA; Sgt J.W.Scudder KIA; Sgt S.A.Curtis KIA; Sgt P.G.Stuart RCAF KIA. The three Commonwealth airmen, along with Sgt Reddicliffe and Sgt Curtis, are buried in Newmarket Cemetery. The others were taken to their home towns. |
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details