Page 50 - Memorial Groves

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Plt/Off Charles Henry (Harry) Fl Lt Robert Graham Fox (1932-34)

Broomhall (1931-33) 203 Squadron RAF

Killed in Aircraft Accident: Middle East
5 Nov 1943. Age 26
454 Squadron RAAF
Killed In Action: Libya
June 1943. Age 25 Graham started his schooling at Guildford and transferred to Hale in 1932 when the family moved to
Claremont. A School contemporary recorded that: ‘he was a good swimmer and played games with
Harry lived in Cottesloe and attended Hale School from gusto and without finesse. He was a very likeable cove with a sense of humour as subtle as an axe!’
1931 to 1933. He was a keen tennis player and rower. His nickname at School was ‘Fatty’ but his report card records that was a ‘fine type’; a strong
character. He excelled at football and was a very good boxer too.
After leaving School he joined the Commonwealth Bank
and prior to joining the Royal Australian Air Force he was He joined the shipping department of Elder Smiths after leaving School and became a stalwart
on the relieving staff in Narrogin, Bridgetown and Mount of the Hale Old Boy’s Hockey Club. He joined up in 1939 and was one of the early trainees in the
Magnet. Empire Air Training Scheme.

He trained as a navigator and was taken on the strength After his initial flying courses at Cunderdin, Pearce and Geraldton, Graham was posted to the
of number 203 Squadron of the British Royal Air Force in Middle East in late 1940 as a Pilot Officer. He flew twin-engined Wellington bombers from Malta
May 1942, flying in Baltimore bomber aircraft. He later with number 203 Squadron, Royal Air Force. Later he was promoted to a flight commander and flew
transferred to an Australian Squadron, number 454 later Blenheim bomber aircraft in North Africa and Lebanon. One source records that Fatty would never
that year, in October. fly back to base with any spare ammunition. After a bombing raid he would always chase any enemy
aircraft in his vicinity.
He was killed after a take-off in Libya.
After surviving two years of sometimes hazardous operational flying (he was shot down on several
Dedicated by his family occasions and managed to walk back to his base through enemy lines) he was killed in an aircraft
Placed by his sister Mrs Dorothy House, accident while test flying one of the squadron aircraft alone.
assisted by her daughters, Deborah House
and Nathalie Haymann. Dedicated and placed by Mr Owen Burges (1931-33), also a member of aircrew during the Second
World War. He and Graham and Harry Broomhall were all close friends at School.

‘he was a good swimmer and played games with gusto and without

finesse. He was a very likeable cove with a sense of humour as

subtle as an axe!’