Rupert Brabner
Encyclopedia
Commander Rupert Arnold Brabner DSO
, DSC
, (1911-1945) was a British Member of Parliament
(MP) who served with the Royal Navy
as a pilot in World War II
and became an ace
with 5.5 confirmed kills.
man from Loughton
, was educated at Felsted School
and St Catharine's College, Cambridge
. By profession he was a banker and a director of Singer & Friedlander Ltd.
Brabner became a member of London County Council
for West Lewisham
in 1937 and served until his death. He was elected to the House of Commons as MP for Hythe
in Kent
on 20 July 1939 and was later appointed as a government whip
. He was appointed to be Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Air
in 1944.
He, and his sister Jean Gwyneth (also killed in World War II)are commemorated by a blue plaque
on the family home at Loughton
.
(November 1940), 805 (early 1941), 806 Squadron (March 1941) & 801
Squadrons FAA at HMS Illustrious (aircraft carrier), HMS Heron
(RN Air Station, Yeovilton, Somerset), HMS Eagle
(aircraft carrier), HMS Victorious
(aircraft carrier), HMS Indomitable (aircraft carrier) and at Crete
and North Africa
.
From 11 August 1941 to September 1942 Brabner was the commanding officer of 801 Squadron serving aboard HMS Eagle which was sunk on 11 August 1942. He was awarded the DSO for his actions during Operation Harpoon
. After the loss of the Eagle he was appointed to the staff of ViceAdmiral Aircraft Carriers for landings in North Africa and in 1943 was made Naval Assistant (Technical) to the 5th Sea Lord. For his actions in August 1943 during Operation Pedestal
he was awarded the DSC.
Brabner was an air ace with 5 confirmed destroyed enemy aircraft, 1 shared destroyed, 1 probable and 1 shared destroyed.
Commander Brabner died age 33 when the Liberator aircraft
taking him to Canada
was lost off the Azores
. He is commemorated on the Lee-on-Solent Memorial on bay 6, panel 2
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, DSC
Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is...
, (1911-1945) was a British Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) who served with the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
as a pilot in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and became an ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
with 5.5 confirmed kills.
Politics
Brabner, who was an EssexEssex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
man from Loughton
Loughton
Loughton is a town and civil parish in the Epping Forest district of Essex. It is located between 11 and 13 miles north east of Charing Cross in London, south of the M25 and west of the M11 motorway and has boundaries with Chingford, Waltham Abbey, Theydon Bois, Chigwell and Buckhurst Hill...
, was educated at Felsted School
Felsted School
Felsted School, an English co-educational day and boarding independent school, situated in Felsted, Essex. It is in the British Public School tradition, and was founded in 1564 by Richard Rich, 1st Baron Rich who, as Lord Chancellor and Chancellor of the Court of Augmentations, acquired...
and St Catharine's College, Cambridge
St Catharine's College, Cambridge
St. Catharine’s College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1473, the college is often referred to informally by the nickname "Catz".-History:...
. By profession he was a banker and a director of Singer & Friedlander Ltd.
Brabner became a member of London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
for West Lewisham
Lewisham
Lewisham is a district in South London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
in 1937 and served until his death. He was elected to the House of Commons as MP for Hythe
Hythe (UK Parliament constituency)
Hythe was a constituency centred on the town of Hythe in Kent. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons until 1832, when its representation was reduced to one member...
in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
on 20 July 1939 and was later appointed as a government whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
. He was appointed to be Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Air
Under-Secretary of State for Air
The Under-Secretary of State for Air was a junior ministerial post in the United Kingdom Government, supporting the Secretary of State for Air in his role of managing the Royal Air Force....
in 1944.
He, and his sister Jean Gwyneth (also killed in World War II)are commemorated by a blue plaque
Blue plaque
A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person or event, serving as a historical marker....
on the family home at Loughton
Loughton
Loughton is a town and civil parish in the Epping Forest district of Essex. It is located between 11 and 13 miles north east of Charing Cross in London, south of the M25 and west of the M11 motorway and has boundaries with Chingford, Waltham Abbey, Theydon Bois, Chigwell and Buckhurst Hill...
.
War service
Brabner served as an officer of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve during World War II as a Fleet Air Arm pilot. He served with 806 Squadron806 Naval Air Squadron
806 Naval Air Squadron was a fighter squadron in the Fleet Air Arm that existed from February 1940 to December 1960 and saw active service in Norway, the Dunkirk evacuation and the Malta Convoys.-Formation:...
(November 1940), 805 (early 1941), 806 Squadron (March 1941) & 801
801 Naval Air Squadron
801 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm squadron of the Royal Navy formed in 1933 which fought in World War II, the Korean War and the Falklands War.- Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Air Force:...
Squadrons FAA at HMS Illustrious (aircraft carrier), HMS Heron
HMS Heron
Several ships of the Royal Navy has been named HMS Heron after the wading bird.* HMS Heron, an 18 gun 340 ton sloop purchased June 1804 . Renamed HMS Volcano in 1810 following conversion to a bomb vessel...
(RN Air Station, Yeovilton, Somerset), HMS Eagle
HMS Eagle (1918)
HMS Eagle was an early aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy. Ordered by Chile as the Almirante Cochrane, she was laid down before World War I. In early 1918 she was purchased by Britain for conversion to an aircraft carrier; this work was finished in 1924...
(aircraft carrier), HMS Victorious
HMS Victorious (R38)
HMS Victorious was the second Illustrious-class aircraft carrier ordered under the 1936 Naval Programme. She was laid down at the Vickers-Armstrong shipyard at Newcastle-Upon-Tyne in 1937 and launched two years later in 1939...
(aircraft carrier), HMS Indomitable (aircraft carrier) and at Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
and North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
.
From 11 August 1941 to September 1942 Brabner was the commanding officer of 801 Squadron serving aboard HMS Eagle which was sunk on 11 August 1942. He was awarded the DSO for his actions during Operation Harpoon
Operation Harpoon (1942)
Not to be confused with Operation Harpoon Operation Harpoon was one of two simultaneous Allied convoys sent to supply Malta in the Axis-dominated Mediterranean Sea in mid-June 1942, during the Second World War. One convoy, Operation Vigorous, left Alexandria. The other, Operation Harpoon, travelled...
. After the loss of the Eagle he was appointed to the staff of ViceAdmiral Aircraft Carriers for landings in North Africa and in 1943 was made Naval Assistant (Technical) to the 5th Sea Lord. For his actions in August 1943 during Operation Pedestal
Operation Pedestal
Operation Pedestal was a British operation to get desperately needed supplies to the island of Malta in August 1942, during the Second World War. Malta was the base from which surface ships, submarines and aircraft attacked Axis convoys carrying essential supplies to the Italian and German armies...
he was awarded the DSC.
Brabner was an air ace with 5 confirmed destroyed enemy aircraft, 1 shared destroyed, 1 probable and 1 shared destroyed.
Commander Brabner died age 33 when the Liberator aircraft
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
taking him to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
was lost off the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
. He is commemorated on the Lee-on-Solent Memorial on bay 6, panel 2