WIGHTON, Dugald Craven
| Service Number: | 407597 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 11 November 1940 |
| Last Rank: | Flight Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | No. 84 Squadron (RAAF) |
| Born: | Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 24 January 1919 |
| Home Town: | Medindie, Walkerville, South Australia |
| Schooling: | St. Peter's College Hackney |
| Occupation: | Articled Law Clerk |
| Died: | Several Strokes and High Blood Pressure, South Australia, Australia, 18 September 1988, aged 69 years |
| Cemetery: |
Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia Cremation only |
| Memorials: | Hackney St Peter's College WW2 Honour Roll, South Australian Garden of Remembrance |
World War 2 Service
| 11 Nov 1940: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Aircraftman, 407597, Aircrew Training Units, Adelaide, SA | |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Nov 1940: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Lieutenant, 407597 | |
| 12 Nov 1940: | Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Aircraftman, 407597, Aircrew Training Units, Empire Air Training Scheme | |
| 1 Jul 1943: | Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 407597, No. 23 Squadron (RAAF), Air War SW Pacific 1941-45, These dates are nominal and need to be verified by reference to his Service Record. No. 23 Squadron along with all of the other Vengeance squadrons was withdrawn from operational service in March 1944 after only a month or two on operations. | |
| 27 Jul 1945: | Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Lieutenant, 407597, No. 84 Squadron (RAAF), Air War SW Pacific 1941-45 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Faithe Jones
Son of David Watson WIGHTON and Elizabeth Ellen nee CRAVEN, 55 Northcote Terrace, Medindie, SA
Husband of Rosemary Neville WIGHTON AO nee BLACKBURN
Dugald Craven Wighton was born in 1919 to David and Ellie Wighton in Adelaide. He was their second child and only son.
Dug studied Law before WWII then Medicine after the war. He served in the Australian Air Force (RAAF) during WWII including service in Papua New Guinea.
His mother died in April 1948 at the age of 58, which was a great shock to Dug who was very close to her. A month later he married Rosemary Blackburn on 22nd May 1948 at St Peter’s College Chapel, Adelaide. He was 29 and a medical student, she was 23 and a tutor. They had 5 children between 1949 and 1960.
Dug was a doctor (GP) which involved being on call for home visits to patients at all hours. He joined a practice with Hugall Hamilton and Jack Sangster in the late 1950's, later joined by David Mueke - Hugall's nephew. Due to high blood pressure he retired as a GP and moved to the SA School Health Service in the early 1970s.
He had his first stroke in 1978, then a number of further strokes in the years following.
Around 1974 Dug and Wody bought a farm of about 100 acres at Hope Forest where Dug spent a lot of time in his later years. He was passionate about planting trees to regenerate the over-cleared farmland and also enjoyed playing chess and painting pictures using watercolours.
He later moved back to Adelaide to live in James St, Gilberton.
Dug died in 1988 at the age of 69, following several strokes and also from having high blood pressure.
Biography contributed by Steve Larkins
407957 Flight Lieutenant Dugald Crayen Wighton of Medindie, SA, enlisted in the RAAF on 11 November 1940.
He completed one tour flying Vultee Vengeance dive bomber aircraft in No. 23 Squadron RAAF, which later converted to B24 Liberator bombers.
By July 1945 he was flying Mustang P51-K aircraft of No. 84 Squadron RAAF, based at Ross River airfield near Townsville.
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