Brett, Harold Beverly

Date of birth:: June 29th, 1916 (Ripley/Ontario, Canada)
Date of death:: June 17th, 1944 (Achterberg/Utrecht, the Netherlands)
Buried on:: Commonwealth War Graves Oud-Leusden (Rusthof)
Plot: 13. Row: 9. Grave: Joint 190.
Service number:: J/23959
Nationality:: Canadian

Biography

Harold was born on June 29 1916 in Ripley Ontario, the son of Charles Cain Brett (deceased on January 13 1945) and Elizabeth Maude Brett nee Dettot of Galt Ontario. They were married on May 17 1913 in Vancouver. His brother was Alfred James Griffin Brett and his sisters were Marian Elizabeth Brett and Lillian Margaret Milnes.

He was a bank teller and member of the Church of England and his sports were badminton, tennis and volleyball.

He enlisted on May 15 1942 in Hamilton Ontario and he went thereafter on April 2 1943 overseas to the UK.

Harold was killed in action on Saturday June 17 1944 age 27 due to a crash near the village of Achterberg municipality of Rhenen before or after an attack on Sterkrade near Oberhausen in Germany. His other RCAF crew members were missed then and they are therefore at the Runnymede Memorial in England: Sgt John K. Murray age 26 at panel 252 and F/O Donald F. Neilson age 27 at panel 247. The other RAF Volunteer Reserve crew members were also missed then and they are at this Memorial too: Sgt Joseph E. Legg age 24 at panel 233 and Sgt Arthur T. Paget age 21 at panel 235 as well as the missed RAF crew member Sgt James M. McKay age 26 at panel 233.
And the other fallen RNZAF crew member was Fl/Lt Alexander D. McConnell (DFC) age 25 in grave 13-1-1 and the other fallen RAF Volunteer Reserve crew member was Sgt Ernest W. Webb in 13-9-Joint grave 190.

On his headstone: NOT FORGOTTEN, NOT ALONE

There is a monument in Rhenen for all the fallen crew members.

He served with the 550 (R.A.F.) Sqdn Royal Canadian Air Force.

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