Wellington Z1284 at Breighton airfield.
On the night of 10th/11th September 1942 the crew on this aircraft were tasked with Ops to Dusseldorf, they left
Breighton at 20.27hrs. Outbound the aircraft's starboard engine and oil temperature overheated so the crew turned
back and landed at Breighton at 23.23hrs but the aircraft ran off the edge of the runway and the tail wheel was damaged.
The aircraft was damaged at Breighton on 5th February 1942 and 27th/28th July 1942 it sustained flak damage.
Pilot - F/Sgt Edward K F Brasher RAAF (404949), of Windsor, Queensland, Australia.
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Douglas W Johnson RAAF (403139), of West Maitland, New South Wales, Australia.
Navigator - Sgt Allister D Crowther RAAF (411007), of Wyong, New South Wales, Australia.
Wireless Operator Air Gunner - Sgt William J C Monk RAAF (403793)(460 CF), of Homebush, New South Wales, Australia.
Rear Gunner - Sgt Keith C Bennett RAAF (407992), of Malvern, South Australia.
Edward Brasher (picture above in a damaged photograph) was born on 9th October 1916 in Brisbane and enlisted on 5th January 1941 in Brisbane.
He gained his Wings on 26th August 1941 and on arrival in the UK he was posted to train at 27 OTU on
14th January 1942 before posting to 460 Squadron on 7th July 1942. He was posted to 460 Conversion
Flight on 25th August 1942 but it must have been that he was still required to fly Ops with his parent
unit while this Lancaster conversion training was being done as he was killed while flying with his
parent unit flying Wellingtons. F/Sgt Brasher was twenty five years old and was initially buried in
the old Russian cemetery at Vechta. The post-war grave investigation unit exhumed his body to positively
identify it and he was later buried in Sage War Cemetery. His DFM was Gazetted on 11th September 1942
and presented to his mother in Brisbane in 1944. The citation reads..
"One night in August 1942, this airman captained an aircraft which attacked Dusseldorf. On the
outward flight, when some 40 miles from the target, his aircraft was attacked by a hostile aircraft
and sustained damage to the tailplane. Despite this, Sergeant Brasher pressed on and bombed his
objective. Shortly after leaving the target area, his aircraft was attacked by a Junkers 88. Further
damage was sustained and the wireless operator was wounded. Sergeant Brasher, skilfully manoeuvring
his aircraft, enabled his rear gunner to fire an effective burst at the attacker, which caused it
to break away enveloped in flames. Sergeant Brasher flew his damaged aircraft safely to base.
Throughout, he displayed great courage and determination to- complete his mission."
Sgt Johnson was also twenty five years old and is also buried in Sage War Cemetery. He was born on 21st August 1917 in Armidale, New South Wales and enlisted in Sydney.
Sgt Crowther was an old man at the age of thirty three, in aircrew terms, he too is buried at Sage War Cemetery. He was
born on 15th May 1909 in Cobar, New South Wales and enlisted in Sydney.
F/Sgt Bennett was twenty two years old and he was buried in Rheinburg War Cemetery, Germany. He was born on 9th January 1920 in Adelaide ane enlisted there.
Sgt Monk is buried in Sage War Cemetery, he was twenty eight years old.
On 14th September 1942 the crew listed above were flying Wellington Z1385, the aircraft failed to return to
base following Ops to Bremen and crashed near the target area. This was the last 460 Squadron Wellington to be
lost prior to their conversion to Lancasters.
