{{short description|English politician and World War II flying ace}} {{Use British English|date=January 2021}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}} {{Infobox military person |honorific_prefix = Commander |name = Rupert Brabner |honorific_suffix = {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|DSO|DSC|MP}} |image = Ruper Brabner.jpg |birth_date = {{birth date|1911|10|29|df=yes}} |death_date = {{Death date and age|1945|03|27|1911|10|29|df=yes}} |birth_place = Epping, Essex, England |death_place = near Azores |allegiance = {{flag|United Kingdom}} |branch = {{navy|United Kingdom}} |rank = Commander |commands = 801 Naval Air Squadron (1941–42) |battles = Second World War {{block indent|{{Bulleted list|Operation Harpoon | Operation Pedestal | Commando Liberator crash {{KIA}}}}}} |awards = Distinguished Service Order<br />Distinguished Service Cross |other_work = Member of Parliament for Hythe (1939–45) }} thumb|Arms depicted in the Commons chamber<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/baz_manning/12329216575/in/album-72157640555240074/ |title=Commons Chamber WW 2 memorial (5) Cdr Rupert A Brabner DSO, DSC, FAA, RNVR, d27.3.1945 nr Azores, unexplained loss of Liberator AL504, Winston Churchill's aircraft named 'Commando,' flying from Northolt to Ottawa. |date=5 February 2014 |publisher=Baz Manning |accessdate=7 August 2021}}</ref> Commander '''Rupert Arnold Brabner''' {{postnominals|country=GBR|DSO|DSC}} (29 October 1911 – 27 March 1945) was a British Member of Parliament (MP) who served with the Royal Navy as a pilot in the Second World War and became an ace with 5.5 confirmed kills.
==Politics== Brabner, from Loughton in Essex, 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,<ref>Who Was Who, 1941–50. p.131</ref> and served until his death. He was elected to the House of Commons as MP for Hythe in Kent on 20 July 1939,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=34648|page=5104|date=25 July 1939}}</ref> 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 Gwenneth (also killed in World War II) are commemorated by a blue plaque on the family home at Loughton.<ref>[http://www.loughton-tc.gov.uk/2bhpl.htm Loughton Council Website – Blue Plaque – 47 Spareleaze Hill] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080827195716/http://www.loughton-tc.gov.uk/2bhpl.htm |date=27 August 2008 }}</ref> His sister was a surgeon at St. Giles Hospital who was killed in a German V-1 rocket attack on London.<ref>[http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/3125748/BRABNER,%20JEAN%20GWENNETH War Graves details – Jean Gwenneth Brabner]</ref>
==War service== Brabner served as an officer of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve during the Second World War as a Fleet Air Arm pilot. He served with 806 Squadron (November 1940 and March 1941), 805 (early 1941) and 801 on {{HMS|Illustrious|R87|6}} (aircraft carrier), {{HMS|Heron}} (RN Air Station, Yeovilton, Somerset), {{HMS|Eagle|1918|6}} (aircraft carrier), {{HMS|Victorious|R38|6}} (aircraft carrier), {{HMS|Indomitable|92|6}} (aircraft carrier) and in Crete and North Africa.
From 11 August 1941 to September 1942, Brabner was the commanding officer of 801 Squadron serving aboard ''Eagle'', which was sunk on 11 August 1942. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his actions during Operation Harpoon.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=35687|supp=y|page=3817|date=28 August 1942}}</ref> After surviving the loss of the ''Eagle'', he was appointed to the staff of Rear Admiral Clement Moody, in regard to aircraft carriers for landings in North Africa. In 1943, Brabner was made naval assistant (technical) to the 5th Sea Lord. For his actions in August 1943 during Operation Pedestal, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=36143|supp=y|page=3785|date=20 August 1943}}</ref>
Brabner was an air ace with five confirmed destroyed enemy aircraft, one shared destroyed, and one probable.
Commander Brabner died age 33 when the Liberator aircraft taking him to Canada with Air Marshal Peter Drummond was lost off the Azores. He is commemorated on the Lee-on-Solent Memorial on bay 6, panel 2<ref>[http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2973896 CWGC entry – Rupert Brabner]</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}} * [http://www.unithistories.com/officers/RNVR_officersB.html RNVR service history]
== External links == * {{Hansard-contribs | mr-rupert-brabner | Rupert Brabner }}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|uk}} {{succession box | title = Member of Parliament for Hythe | years = 1939–1945 | before = Philip Sassoon | after = Harry Mackeson }} {{s-off}} {{succession box | title = Under-Secretary of State for Air | years = 1944–1945 | before = The Lord Sherwood | after = John Strachey }} {{s-end}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brabner, Rupert}} Category:1911 births Category:1945 deaths Category:Alumni of St Catharine's College, Cambridge Category:British World War II flying aces Category:English bankers Category:Royal Navy personnel killed in World War II Category:Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies Category:Fleet Air Arm aviators Category:Members of London County Council Category:Ministers in the Churchill wartime government, 1940–1945 Category:People educated at Felsted School Category:People from Loughton Category:People lost at sea Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom) Category:Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve personnel of World War II Category:Royal Navy officers of World War II Category:Fleet Air Arm personnel of World War II Category:UK MPs 1935–1945 Category:Military personnel from Essex Category:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1945 Category:Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents in Portugal