Warrant Officer Henry Gordon Coombe (421266) served in the Royal New Zealand Air Force during the Second World War. He was the son of Henry Thomas Coombe and Eliza May Coombe, and husband of Grace Coombe of Wellington, New Zealand.
Henry died on 24th June 1944 aged 32 years old. He was a Wireless Operator attached to RAF 59 Squadron on board Consolidated Liberator FL977 H-59. The plane was carrying out a radio-controlled approach to RAF Ballykelly, Co. Londonderry.
The crew had received orders to return to the airfield and the last radio contact was at 0416hrs on 24th June 1944. In bad weather, the bomber crashed into the slopes of Binevenagh Mountain on its third approach. There were no survivors.
Remembering the crew of Liberator FL977
| Last Name | First Name(s) | Rank | Role | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jenkins | Ivor Bramwell | Flying Officer | Pilot | RAFVR 169575. |
| Logan | Francis George | Warrant Officer Class I | 2nd Pilot | RCAF R/101611. |
| Revell | Reginald Richard James | Warrant Officer | Navigator | RAF 564007. |
| Wilson | William Harvey | Sergeant | Flight Engineer | RAFVR 1069103. |
| Lewis | Harry Gwynne | Sergeant | Wireless Operator / Mechanic | RAF 550742. |
| Gerring | George William | Pilot Officer | Wireless Operator / Air Gunner | RCAF 90925. |
| Wallace | Wilfred Clark | Warrant Officer Class I | Wireless Operator / Air Gunner | RCAF R/134952. |
| Coombe | Henry Gordon | Warrant Officer | Wireless Operator | RNZAF 421266. |
Henry Gordon Coombe’s grave is in Section W, Grave 5 of Finlagan Church of Ireland Churchyard, Tamlaght, Co. Fermanagh.