In remembrance of those who gave their lives in the service of their country, please observe a moment of silence before entering the RAC Aerodrome from the link at the bottom of this page.

Remembrance Day / Veteran's Day November 11, 2005.

   In Flanders Field

by Lt. Col. John McCrae, M.D., 1872-1918

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
  That mark our place; and in the sky
  The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
  Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
            In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
  The torch; be yours to hold it high.
  If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
            In Flanders fields.

Countries Represented by Current RAC Members

Forces of Australia Commemorated

WW1 - 1914-18 Allied

Military Personnel

Killed In Action

WW2 - 1939-45 Allied

Military Personnel

Killed In Action

61,817

40,465

Forces of Belgium Commemorated

WW1 - 1914-18 Allied

Military Personnel

Killed In Action

WW2 - 1939-45 Allied

Military Personnel

Killed In Action

13,716

12,000

Forces of Canada Commemorated

WW1 - 1914-18 Allied

Military Personnel

Killed In Action

WW2 - 1939-45 Allied

Military Personnel

Killed In Action

64,842

45,340

Forces of Denmark Commemorated

WW1 - 1914-18 Neutral

Military Personnel

Killed In Action

WW2 - 1940-45 Allied

Military Personnel

Killed In Action

0

1,800

Forces of Finland Commemorated

WW1 - 1914-18 Neutral

Military Personnel

Killed In Action

WW2 - 1939-45 Axis

Military Personnel

Killed In Action

0

82,000

Forces of Germany Commemorated

WW1 - 1914-18 Axis

Military Personnel

Killed In Action (Est.)

WW2 - 1939-45 Axis

Military Personnel

Killed In Action (Est.) Includes Austria

1,773,700 3,250,000

Forces of Italy Commemorated

WW1 - 1914-18 Allied

Military Personnel

Killed In Action (Est.)

WW2 - 1939-45 Axis

Military Personnel

Killed In Action 

650,000 242,232

Forces of The Netherlands Commemorated

WW2 - 1939-45 Allied

Military Personnel

Killed In Action (Est.)

7,900

Forces of New Zealand Commemorated

WW1 - 1914-18 Allied

Military Personnel

Killed In Action (Est.)

WW2 - 1939-45 Allied

Military Personnel

Killed In Action 

18,041 10,033

Forces of Russia Commemorated

WW1 - 1914-18 Allied

Military Personnel

Killed In Action (Est.)

WW2 - 1941-45 Allied

Military Personnel

Killed In Action (Est.)

1,700,000 11,500,000

Forces of The United Kingdom Commemorated

WW1 - 1914-18 Allied

Military Personnel

Killed In Action 

WW2 - 1939-45 Allied

Military Personnel

Killed In Action 

887,282

382,677

Forces of The USA Commemorated

WW1 - 1917-18 Allied

Military Personnel

Killed In Action 

WW2 - 1941-45 Allied

Military Personnel

Killed In Action 

136,516 292,131

Countries Not Represented in RAC

Country

Alignment WW1

Military Personnel Killed WW1

Alignment WW2

Military Personnel Killed WW2

Belgium

Allies

13,716

Allies

12,000

Brazil

Neutral

0

Allies

943

Bulgaria

Axis

87,500

Axis

10,000

China

Neutral

0

Allies

1,310,224

Czechoslovakia

N/A

0

Allies

10,000

Denmark

Neutral

0

Allies

1,800

France

Allies

1,375,800

Allies

213,324

Greece

Allies

5,000

Allies

88,300

Hungary

Axis (Austro-Hungarian Empire)

1,200,000

Axis

200,000

India

Allies

74,169

Allies

24,338

Japan

Allies

300

Axis

1,300,000

Norway

Neutral

0

Allies

3,000

Phillipines

Neutral

0

Allies

27,000

Poland

N/A

0

Allies

123,178

Romania

Allies

335,706

Axis

300,000

South Africa

Allies

9,534

Allies

6,840

Turkey

Axis

325,000

Neutral

0

Yugoslavia

Allies (Serbia+Montenegro)

48,000

Allies

305,000

Total Military & Civilian Deaths All Combatant Countries

1914-18 WW1

Military Deaths (Est.)

1914-18 WW1

Civilian Deaths (Est.)

1938-1945 WW2

Military Deaths (Est.)

1939-45 WW2

Civilian Deaths (Est.)

8,300,000+ 8,000,000+ 19,500,000+ 22,000,000+

Casualty figures vary quite widely depending on what source you use.  I have tried to find the most reputable sources available over the Web Such as the U.S. Veteran's Administration and the British Commonwealth War Graves Commission.  This is by no means a complete listing of all wars this Century, or all Combatant Nations. 

And a personal tribute from Horrido (Andrew C. Charters) to:

Pvt. ANDREW CHARTERS MM (serial # 28596) age 34

who served in the 6th Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers

and was killed in action near Langemarck in Belgium.

on Thursday 17th. October 1918 ..a mere 25 days before the end of the Great War.

He is buried at the "Cement House" Military Cemetery, Langemarck, Belgium

Plot XVII, Row C, Grave 19.

 

Flight Sergeant JOHN BENNETT CHARTERS (serial # 1039009) age 21 

who served in as a pilot in 106 Sqdn., Royal Air Force (Avro Lancaster Bombers) 

and was killed on Wednesday, 28th July 1943 in the first of the famous

Hamburg Firestorm Raids known as "Operation Gomorrah".

His plane (serial # ED708) was hit by flak, or nightfighters over the target and 

came down in the North Sea, off the Frisian Islands.  None of the 7 crew survived

and his body was never recovered. 

He is commemorated on the Runnymede RAF Memorial, Surrey, UK. 

Panel 135.

 

Flight Sergeant ROBERT JOHN CHARTERS (serial # 1348547) age 23

who also served as a pilot in 106 Sqdn., Royal Air Force (Avro Lancaster Bombers)
and was killed on Sunday, 30th January 1944 in a raid on Berlin. 

His plane (Call Sign ZN-Q, serial # ND336) was shot down on the return trip

 over Holland by a night fighter and crashed off the coast in the North Sea.  

His body was never recovered.

He is commemorated on the Runnymede RAF Memorial, Surrey, UK.

Panel 226.

As recorded by the British Commonwealth War Graves Commission - Debt of Honour Registry 

A page with some details about 106 Squadron

Extract from 106 Squadron Operational Log

 

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