BUSSY-LE-CHÂTEAU CHURCHYARD
Marne
France
Location Information
Bussy-le-Château is a village 18 kilometres north-east of Chalons-sur-Marne, which is on the main railway lines from Paris. The church lies on the eastern side of the village. The Commonwealth graves are close to the northern boundary of the churchyard.
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.
Bussy-le-Château Churchyard contains the graves of eight Commonwealth airmen of the Second World War.
Bussy-le-Château is a village 18 kilometres north-east of Chalons-sur-Marne, which is on the main railway lines from Paris. The church lies on the eastern side of the village. The Commonwealth graves are close to the northern boundary of the churchyard.
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.
Bussy-le-Château Churchyard contains the graves of eight Commonwealth airmen of the Second World War.
410498 Flight Sergeant
Augustine Michael Kearney
622 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force
18th November 1943, aged 21.
INSCRIPTION. WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER. REQUIESCAT IN PACE.
Son of Michael Joseph and Mary Isabella Jane Kearney, of Echuca, Victoria, Australia.
Click on image to enlarge
Probably Ghedburgh, England. 1943. Informal portrait of 410498 Flight Sergeant (Flt Sgt) Augustine Michael (Gus) Kearney, No. 622 Squadron RAAF, sitting on a fence. Flt Sgt Kearney was killed whilst on operations over France on 18 November 1943, aged 21. He was the son of Michael Joseph and Mary Isabella Jane Kearney of Echuca, Vic. He is buried in grave 1 of the Bussy-le-Chateau Churchyard in Marne, France.
Augustine Michael Kearney
622 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force
18th November 1943, aged 21.
INSCRIPTION. WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER. REQUIESCAT IN PACE.
Son of Michael Joseph and Mary Isabella Jane Kearney, of Echuca, Victoria, Australia.
Click on image to enlarge
Probably Ghedburgh, England. 1943. Informal portrait of 410498 Flight Sergeant (Flt Sgt) Augustine Michael (Gus) Kearney, No. 622 Squadron RAAF, sitting on a fence. Flt Sgt Kearney was killed whilst on operations over France on 18 November 1943, aged 21. He was the son of Michael Joseph and Mary Isabella Jane Kearney of Echuca, Vic. He is buried in grave 1 of the Bussy-le-Chateau Churchyard in Marne, France.
Outdoor group portrait of No 4 Initial Training School, RAAF, Course No 21, “C” Squadron, Flight 14.
Identified in the back row, from left to right:
416907 Aircraftman 2 (AC2) Ronald Lindsay Wade (later Leading Aircraftman (LAC)); 409861 AC2 Donald Malcolm Terry (later Flying Officer (FO)); 416899 AC2 Lance Gilbert Stribling (later Corporal (Cpl)); 415389 AC2 Ronald Allan Wray (later Flight Sergeant (Flt Sgt)); 415387 AC2 James Henry Skett (later FO); 409862 AC2 Russell James Thomson (later Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) and died on flying operations over France on 18 November 1943); 409857 AC2 William McDonald Smith (later Flt Sgt); 416912 AC2 Noel Leonard Williams (later discharged on 24 February 1942); 416897 AC2 John Augustine Siebert (later Warrant Officer (WO) and died on flying operations over the Mediterranean Sea on 27 February 1944); 409863 AC2 Reginald Thomas Walker (later FO); and 416911 AC2 Ronald Gifford Welfare (later FO).
Second row from left to right: 409866 AC2 Noel Grant Wilson (later Pilot Officer (PO) and died in an accident in the United Kingdom on 2 February 1944); 409856 AC2 Charles Joseph Sitch (later Flt Lt); 416898 AC2 John Edward Stapleton (later WO and died on flying operations over the Aegean Sea on 3 March 1944); 409864 AC2 George Ronald Gilbert Warne (later FO); 409867 AC2 Raymond Vernon Wood (later FO); E Williams; 416896 AC2 William Robert Neil Shueard (later FO); 416902 AC2 Max Edward Thompson (later O4732 Flt Lt and awarded DFC); 409858 AC2 William Colin Spurr (later Flt Lt and awarded DFC); 416900 AC2 Thomas Hugh Strong (later Flt Lt); and 416910 AC2 Harry Goodwin Waters (later Flt Lt).
Front row from left to right: 409859 AC2 Cyril Edward Stephensen (later PO and died on flying operations over France on 4 May 1944); 409865 AC2 Charles Reginald Whincup (AKA Reginald Charles Whincup, later FO and died on flying operations over Bali, Indonesia on 21 May 1944); 16484 Phillip George Smith (later Sergeant); 416909 AC2 Leith John Warner (later FO and awarded DFC); 416908 AC2 Robert James Wallace (later WO); Flt Sgt J Walsh; 409860 AC2 Ernest Alfred Straughair (later Flt Lt); 415388 AC2 Gordon Robert Williams (later FO); 416904 AC2 Malcolm Ralph Trout (later Flt Sgt and died on flying operations over Germany on 21 January 1944); 416903 AC2 Clifford McPherson Thorpe (later FO); and 416913 AC2 Varley Harold Woolford (later LAC).
