The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (406290) Sergeant Edward Charles Grimley Brooks, Sea Rescue Flight RAF, Second World War.

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by , the story for this day was on (406290) Sergeant Edward Charles Grimley Brooks, Sea Rescue Flight RAF, Second World War.

406290 Sergeant Edward Charles Grimley Brooks, Sea Rescue Flight RAF
Flying Battle 25 November 1941


Today we remember and pay tribute to Sergeant Edward Charles Grimley Brooks.

Edward Brooks was born on 9 September 1909 in Subiaco, Western Australia, the son of Charles and Sarah Brooks.
Following his education, he worked for the Commonwealth Public Service, initially in the Postmaster General’s Department.

He married Kathleen Egan on 15 February 1936, and a daughter, Patricia, was born to the couple that year. A son, Terrence, followed in 1938. Brooks served for a year in the Militia, parading part-time with the 44th Battalion.
In 1939 Brooks started working as a clerk in the Taxation Department.

Edward Brooks enlisted in the Citizen’s Air Force on 7 October 1940, a first step towards service with the Royal Australian Air Force. Three days later he was at initial training school in Victoria.

He went on to train as a wireless operator/air gunner, training at Ballarat and Perth before departing for overseas service on 5 July 1941.

Landing at Egypt towards the end of July, he was attached to the Royal Air Force, operating with their Search and Rescue Force. The air–sea rescue squadrons flew a variety of aircraft, usually hand-me-downs rejected or withdrawn from front-line service. Their role was to locate downed airmen, and working to keep them alive by dropping survival equipment and stores until they could be picked up. By the end of the Second World War, they had rescued more than 8,000 aircrew and 5,000 civilians.

While the men of the RAF Search and Rescue Force were engaged in saving lives, they were regularly in danger of losing their own.

On the night of 25 November 1941, Sergeant Edward Brooks was the wireless operator/air gunner on Wellington bomber T2551, which was engaged in a sea rescue mission. At about 7 pm, the aircraft crashed, probably because of enemy action. Pilot Officer Ramsbottom suffered injury, but survived the crash. Those who lost their lives were:
• Pilot Officer Allatt
• Sergeant Bartsch
• Sergeant Eric Smith
• Sergeant George Swift
• and Sergeant Edward Brooks, who was 32 years old.

Today his remains lie in the El Alamein War Cemetery.
His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my left, among almost 40,000 Australians who died while serving in the Second World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Sergeant Edward Charles Grimley Brooks, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Duncan Beard
Editor, Military History Section