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Best (A R)

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No photograph available — remembrance poppy
Identity
Person No.
49930
Service No.
Unknown
Last Name
Best 5
First Name
Unknown
Initials
A R
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
Unknown
Age at Death
21
Death Record
Date of Death
12 October 1944 358
Cause code
KIA 14,811
Killed in action
Cause of Death
Killed in action 14,686
Killed in action, Liberator #KH154, 8 crew, during Partisan supply drop in Northern Italy, crashed into mountain at Rorà at night in poor weather -- part of the same six-aircraft loss as Liberators KG874, KG875, KG999, KH158 and KH239 (34 Sqn)
Military Service
Rank
Sergeant
Regiment
Royal Air Force 329
Unit
31 (S.A.A.F.) Squadron 2
Defence Force
UK 4,095
British forces
Location
Country
Italy 1,909
Locality
Unknown
Cemetery
Unknown
Grave Reference
Unknown
Memorial
Crew roll for all six Liberators lost 12/13 Oct 1944 (KG874 Ostana, KG875 Valprato Soana, KG999 Ala di Stura, KH154 Rorà, KH158 "disappeared without trace" north of Genoa, KH239 Cantalupa -- 34 Sqn), as displayed at the Alpine 44 Commemoration Service, Air Force Memorial Swartkop, 11 Oct 2026. Source: Alpine 44 Commemoration Facebook post / Ad Astra Magazine, Cpl Khensane Cheriz Nkuna.
Memorial
South African Air Force Memorial – Swartkop
Location
SAAF Memorial, AFB Swartkop, Pretoria, South Africa
Panel
Not listed against a numbered panel
On the panel
KH154
Notes
Unknown
Research notes

16 Oct 2026: NEW RECORD, NEW AIRCRAFT. Alpine 44 Commemoration crew-roll photo: "Best A.R., 21, Sgt, RAF, Brighton, England". SAWGP CHECKED, NOT FOUND. DATE UNCERTAIN, see Watson 49928's note.

Citations
Unknown
External References
  • Alpine 44 Club / Ad Astra Magazine (SAAF)
    Alpine 44 Commemoration crew-roll photo and article, Ad Astra Magazine (Cpl Khensane Cheriz Nkuna), posted to Facebook; service held Air Force Memorial Swartkop, 11 Oct 2026
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