Basic Details
Surname
Brooks
Forenames
W E
Gender
Male
Information stated on memorial
Alternative forename
William Ernest
Served or died
Died
Notes
According to the memorial he attended the school in 1932-37. He was part of the crew of one of two Halifax bombers from 199 Squadron which collided on a mission supporting a raid on Kiel on May 3rd, 1945: 13 men died in the two aircraft, the last members of Bomber Command to die in WW2. This information, his rank and place of burial, come from Middlebrook and Everitt's 'The Bomber Command War Dairies': he was the only RAF man with these initials and surname to die in WW2 according to CWGC.
Primary Service
As stated on memorial
Service (Primary - Stated)
RAF
Our References
Service (Primary - Our reference)
Unit (Primary - Our reference)
Rank / Title (Primary - Our reference)
Death and Burial details
Country of death
Germany
Town of death
Kiel
Country of burial
Germany
Town of burial
Kiel
Cemetery
War Cemetery
Year of death
1945
Month of death
May
Day of death
3
Manner of death reference
Killed in Action