Richard Henry James Brace

Memorial: Thornbury - St Mary's Church

Regiment: Royal Air Force

Medals: 1939–45 Star, Air Crew Europe Star, War Medal 1939–1945

Rank and number: Sergeant

Parents: Henry Arthur and Lucy Brace

Home address: The White Horse, Buckover, Falfield

Pre-war occupation: Airman

Date of birth: 1913

Date of death: 14/12/1939

Buried/Commemorated at: No known burial site but commemorated on Runnymede Memorial, St Mary’s Memorial Thornbury and Thornbury Grammar School Memorial

Age: 26

Further information:

Son of a publican Richard’s father held the license for the White Horse from 1923 until 1939, the year of Richard’s death. Richard attended Thornbury Grammar School and in 1926 enlisted in the RAF as an apprentice.

Richard served with the 99 Squadron, Royal Air Force and was stationed at RAF Newmarket Suffolk and on the day of his death he and 5 other crew members took off in Wellington Bomber N2986 as one of 42 aircraft involved in a daytime operation to seek out enemy shipping. The 12 Wellingtons located a convoy in the Schillig Roads, a port near Wilhelmshaven, North Germany and while they attempted to attack, they were set upon by Me110s. Half the attacking force was shot down for the loss of one German fighter and Richard’s aircraft was last seen near Heligoland, Germany where it is thought to have crashed off the Island of Wangerooge. Shortly after this incident, it was realised that unescorted daylight bombing raids were not a viable prospect.

Richard Henry James Brace is listed as James Brace on the St Mary’s Memorial

By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):

This information has been provided by Sarah Hands, Volunteer Researcher for the South Gloucestershire War Memorials Web Site.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
https://www.cwgc.org/
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/
https://www.findmypast.co.uk/
https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/
Thornbury Roots - http://www.thornburyroots.co.uk/war/forcesww2/#brace
https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/202940/