BRIMONT CHURCHYARD
Marne
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 49.34044, Longitude: 4.0245
Location Information
Brimont is a village and commune 52 kilometres to the north-west of Châlons-en-Champagne and 10 kilometres north of Reims. The church is in the centre of the village, and the Commonwealth war graves are on the west side of the churchyard.
History Information
When Germany invaded France early in May 1940, the British Expeditionary Force had already been established there for some time. Between their dramatic evacuation a few weeks later and the Normandy landings of June 1944, Commonwealth forces activity in France was limited to coastal raids and special operations. Most of the Second World War Commonwealth cemeteries are situated in the coastal areas of northern France, but graves will also be found in communal cemeteries and churchyards all over the country, many being those of Commonwealth airmen who failed to return from missions over northern Europe. Brimont Churchyard contains the graves of seven Commonwealth airmen of the Second World War.
Flight Details provided by Barry Cuttell
R.A.F. Base: Warboys, Cambridgeshire
Unit: 156 Sqdn. Bomber Command
Aircraft: Lancaster Mk I, serial W4854
Target: Pizen (Pilsen) West Bohemia
Incident: The aircraft crashed near Brimont and the airmen are buried in the village churchyard. There were no survivors.
Burial Details
143758 Pilot Officer Harald Roy Andersen, D. F. C. Pilot in 156 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 17th April 1943, aged 21. Son of Jacob Harald Andersen and Ethel Louisa Andersen, of East Challow, Wantage, Berkshire.
139927 Pilot Officer Kenneth Winchcombe Bordycott, D. F. C., D. F. M. Navigator in 156 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 17th April 1943, aged 22. Son of Frederick William and Countciletta Bordycott, of Shirley, Southampton. His headstone bears the inscription "He Loved Honour More Than He Feared Death"
577758 Sergeant Patrick Langston Brougham-Faddy, Flight Engineer in 156 Squadron, Royal Air Force, died 17th April 1943, aged 18. Son of Langston Peter and Doris Brougham-Faddy, of West Ealing, Middlesex. His headstone bears the inscription Beloved Only Son Of L. P. And D. Brougham-Faddy, "In The Morning Of Life"
1331855 Sergeant Bernard Hamilton Gooding, Navigator (Bomber) in 156 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 17th April 1943, aged 20. Son of Bernard Knell Gooding and Carrie Louise Gooding husband of Beryl Yvonne Gooding, of Staines, Middlesex. His headstone bears the inscription "They Gave Their Lives To Break Oppression And To Shatter Tyranny"
138424 Pilot Officer Frederick Smith, D. F. M. Wireless Operator/Air Gunner in 156 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 17th April 1943, aged 25. Son of Frank and Jane Ellen Smith, of Stretton, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire. His headstone bears the inscription "At The Going Down Of The Sun And In The Morning We Will Remember Them"
1585561 Sergeant John Thomas Stephens, Air Gunner in 156 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 17th April 1943, aged 19. Son of John Thomas Stephens, and of Annie Stephens, of Dagenham, Essex. His headstone bears the inscription "Father In Thy Gracious Keeping, Leave We Now Our Loved One Sleeping"
519840 Flight Sergeant William Oldfield Woolnough, Air Gunner in 156 Squadron, Royal Air Force, died 17th April 1943.
Brimont is a village and commune 52 kilometres to the north-west of Châlons-en-Champagne and 10 kilometres north of Reims. The church is in the centre of the village, and the Commonwealth war graves are on the west side of the churchyard.
History Information
When Germany invaded France early in May 1940, the British Expeditionary Force had already been established there for some time. Between their dramatic evacuation a few weeks later and the Normandy landings of June 1944, Commonwealth forces activity in France was limited to coastal raids and special operations. Most of the Second World War Commonwealth cemeteries are situated in the coastal areas of northern France, but graves will also be found in communal cemeteries and churchyards all over the country, many being those of Commonwealth airmen who failed to return from missions over northern Europe. Brimont Churchyard contains the graves of seven Commonwealth airmen of the Second World War.
Flight Details provided by Barry Cuttell
R.A.F. Base: Warboys, Cambridgeshire
Unit: 156 Sqdn. Bomber Command
Aircraft: Lancaster Mk I, serial W4854
Target: Pizen (Pilsen) West Bohemia
Incident: The aircraft crashed near Brimont and the airmen are buried in the village churchyard. There were no survivors.
Burial Details
143758 Pilot Officer Harald Roy Andersen, D. F. C. Pilot in 156 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 17th April 1943, aged 21. Son of Jacob Harald Andersen and Ethel Louisa Andersen, of East Challow, Wantage, Berkshire.
139927 Pilot Officer Kenneth Winchcombe Bordycott, D. F. C., D. F. M. Navigator in 156 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 17th April 1943, aged 22. Son of Frederick William and Countciletta Bordycott, of Shirley, Southampton. His headstone bears the inscription "He Loved Honour More Than He Feared Death"
577758 Sergeant Patrick Langston Brougham-Faddy, Flight Engineer in 156 Squadron, Royal Air Force, died 17th April 1943, aged 18. Son of Langston Peter and Doris Brougham-Faddy, of West Ealing, Middlesex. His headstone bears the inscription Beloved Only Son Of L. P. And D. Brougham-Faddy, "In The Morning Of Life"
1331855 Sergeant Bernard Hamilton Gooding, Navigator (Bomber) in 156 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 17th April 1943, aged 20. Son of Bernard Knell Gooding and Carrie Louise Gooding husband of Beryl Yvonne Gooding, of Staines, Middlesex. His headstone bears the inscription "They Gave Their Lives To Break Oppression And To Shatter Tyranny"
138424 Pilot Officer Frederick Smith, D. F. M. Wireless Operator/Air Gunner in 156 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 17th April 1943, aged 25. Son of Frank and Jane Ellen Smith, of Stretton, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire. His headstone bears the inscription "At The Going Down Of The Sun And In The Morning We Will Remember Them"
1585561 Sergeant John Thomas Stephens, Air Gunner in 156 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 17th April 1943, aged 19. Son of John Thomas Stephens, and of Annie Stephens, of Dagenham, Essex. His headstone bears the inscription "Father In Thy Gracious Keeping, Leave We Now Our Loved One Sleeping"
519840 Flight Sergeant William Oldfield Woolnough, Air Gunner in 156 Squadron, Royal Air Force, died 17th April 1943.
