The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (412469) Warrant Officer Alexis Charles Mineeff, No. 463 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, 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 Richard Cruise, the story for this day was on (412469) Warrant Officer Alexis Charles Mineeff, No. 463 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, Second World War.

412469 Warrant Officer Alexis Charles Mineeff, No. 463 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force
KIA 25 June 1944

Today we remember and pay tribute to Warrant Officer Alexis Charles Mineeff.

Alexis Mineeff was born on 20 February 1921 in Newcastle, the son of John and Annie Mineeff. Alexis grew up alongside his brother, Nicholas, and sisters, Marusa and Eugean, in Glenbrook in the Blue Mountains. His father was a Russian-born immigrant who had served in Europe with the Australian Imperial Force in the First World War. He died in 1931, when Alexis was just ten years old. Further tragedy struck five years later when a bushfire swept through the town and burned down the family home.

Alexis Mineeff attended Penrith Intermediate High School and was fond of tennis, cricket, cycling, and swimming. After leaving school he worked as a clerk, and took a correspondence course in accountancy.

On 19 of July 1941 Mineeff enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force at the age of 20. He trained as a wireless operator and air gunner, and in June 1942 received his badge and was made sergeant.

Mineeff embarked for overseas service from Sydney on 13 November 1941, arriving in Canada in December. As part of the Empire Air Training Scheme he was one of almost 27,000 RAAF pilots, navigators, wireless operators, gunners, and engineers, who joined Australian and British squadrons in Britain throughout the course of the war.
Mineeff underwent months of training in Canada, and that December was promoted to flight sergeant. In October 1942 he left for England and further specialist training. In May 1943 he was posted to No. 463 Squadron, RAAF. As part of Bomber Command, the squadron flew four-engined Avro Lancaster heavy bombers.

On the night of 24 June 1944, Bomber Command launched a major raid on a flying bomb site at Prouville, France. Mineeff was the wireless operator and air gunner on board Lancaster “J for Jig”, which took off from the Royal Air Force base at Waddington at about 10.45 pm. The squadron committed 18 aircraft to the mission, but three failed to return, including “J for Jig”.

It was later discovered that the aircraft was attacked by a German fighter aircraft, causing an explosion. Flying Officer Arthur Syddall was thrown clear of the aircraft and managed to land safely, whereupon he was made a prisoner of war. The rest of the crew were not so lucky, and the plane’s debris was later found at Longuevillette, ten kilometres east of the target. Killed along with Warrant Officer Alexis Mineeff were Australians Pilot Officer Jeoffrey Tilbrook, Warrant Officer Hubert Carlyle, and Flight Sergeant Maxwell Lack, and British Sergeants David Dowe and Charles Penn.

After the war, the remains of Commonwealth servicemen buried in Europe were examined and identified where possible. Investigations located the remains of Warrant Officer Mineeff at the St Pierre Cemetery in Amiens, and he was reinterred there under the inscription: “His duty nobly done. Ever remembered.”

He was 23 years old.

Warrant Officer Alexis Mineeff’s name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my left, along with some 40,000 others from 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 Warrant Officer Alexis Charles Mineeff, and all those Australians who have given their lives in service of our nation.

Christina Zissis
Editor, Military History Section