Benson Usher
Employed as a clerk, Patea Meat Company in Patea, Taranaki, New Zealand.
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
Son of William and Lilian Usher, of Wellington City, New Zealand; husband of Winsome Molly Usher, of Apia, Samoa (CWGC).
Enlisted at Levin, New Zealand.
Reg. R5561 Avro Lancaster Mk 1. Takeoff at 00:40 hrs for participation in the first 1000 bomber raid, target Köln, Nordrhein-Westfalen.
The aircraft was coned by the 3./Flakscheinwerfer-Abteilung 159 and hit by heavy (schwere) Flak; crashed Niederaussem 21 km WNW of Köln city centre. There were no survivors; the crew members were:
86728 F/O Peter Frederick Barlow Bluett RAFVR – wireless operator/air gunner(gazetted 23 August 1940).
R/59571 F/Sgt John Hamilton Charles RCAF – air gunner
637104 F/Sgt Robert Gordon Fawkes RAF – wireless operator/air gunner
J/15251 P/O John Douglas Patey RCAF – air gunner
122398 P/O John Bennett Underwood RAF – pilot (prev. NCO 910545, gazetted 23 June 1942)
41637 P/O Benson Usher RNZAF - pilot
1160536 Sgt Anthony Williamson RAFVR - observer
Pilot Officer Usher is buried in Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany (grave ref. 1.E.13). Other members of the crew are buried in adjacent graves.
CWGC Additional information: Son of William and Lilian Usher, of Wellington City, New Zealand; husband of Winsome Molly Usher, of Apia, Samoa.
Attended Rongotai Boys' College (Source: RNZAF Biographies (R17845617))
325 hours as Pilot (Source: RNZAF Biographies (R17845617)
Employment (see 'Employment & hobbies')
www.nzwargraves.org.nz/casualties/benson-usher
Photo of Benson Usher
Photo of Benson Usher
Buried in Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany (www.cwgc.org)