Maxwell, Austin Vaughan
Personal Information
Rank | F/O |
Forename(s) | Austin Vaughan |
Surname | Maxwell |
Gender | M |
Age | 26 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 17-06-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of Chester Allison Maxwell and Maude Amy Maxwell (née Buck) of Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada. Husband of Annie Agnes Maxwell (née Driscoll), whom he married at Dartmouth, Nova Scotia on 1 July 1940. Father of Jacqueline Maxwell (born 1941) and Sharon Anne Maxwell (born 1942). |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax III |
Serial Number | MZ652 |
Markings | DY-Z |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Reichswald Forest War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | Coll. grave 21. E. 4-6. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 206 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | J/25924 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 4 |
Squadron | 102 (Ceylon) |
Trade | Pilot |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | St. Catherine's Church Barmby Moor, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Roll of Honour in wall mounted wooden case, Sqn Badge above |
Memorial Text | 102 (Ceylon) Sqn Roll of Honour and Sqn badge |
Location | Pocklington Gliding Club, Pocklington Airfield, Easy Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stylised Memorial with inscribed metal plaque |
Memorial Text | Memorial to 102 (Ceylon) Sqn RAF and 405 (Vancouver) Sqn RCAF which served at RAF Pocklington during WW2 |
Miscellaneous Information
Austin was born at Sackville, New Brunswick on 1 November 1917. His father was born at Rockport, New Brunswick and his mother at Dorchester, New Brunswick. He had a brother Norman who had died in 1916, and sisters Helen, Margaret and Florence. The school he attended was Sackville High 1933- 1935 and then Mount Allison Academy 1935-1936, followed by Mount Allison university 1936-1937 (studied for 1 year for B.A. degree). His sport interests were baseball, softball, basketball, and football. When his father died he worked for his mother in their grocery store in Sackville as assistant manager between 1939 and 1942 when he then enlisted (30 March 1942). Prior to this he had served in the RCAF (PF) at Camp Borden and Dartmouth 1937-1938. He had been allowed a discharge when his father died in 1939. |
After enlistment and training he was posted to the U.K. and embarked from Canada on June 1943 arriving at 3PRC on 2 July 1943. He then proceeded through 11(P)AFU 27 July 1943, 20 OTU 26 October 1943, 41 Base 21 March 1944 and eventually at 102 Squadron on 24 May 1944. Sadly Austin died on 17 June 1944. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/810/12 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/810/11 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 16-06-1944 |
End Date | 17-06-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Pocklington |
Day/Night Raid | Night (16% moon) |
Operation | Sterkrade to bomb a synthetic oil plant, despite a poor local weather forecast The target was indeed covered in thick cloud and the PFF markers were not easily visible. Bombing was scattered as a result and there was little impact on production. The bomber stream passed within 30 miles of the Tame Boar night-fighter beacon that was being used that night, resulting in large bomber losses on the approach. Total losses for the night were 31 aircraft (13.6%) although losses among certain squadrons were higher still- notably 77 Sqn which Lost 7 of its 23 aircraft (30.3%). |
Reason for Loss |