MEAKER, Arthur Reginald
| Service Number: | 416275 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 28 April 1941 |
| Last Rank: | Flying Officer |
| Last Unit: | No. 10 Squadron (RAAF) |
| Born: | Newport, England, 18 April 1910 |
| Home Town: | Unley, Unley, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Adelaide High School, Adelaide University |
| Occupation: | School teacher |
| Died: | Flying Battle, Atlantic Ocean, 31 July 1942, aged 32 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" - At sea - Runnymede (Air Forces) Memorial, Surrey, England, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, England, United Kingdom |
| Memorials: | Adelaide WW2 Wall of Remembrance, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Runnymede Air Forces Memorial |
World War 2 Service
| 28 Apr 1941: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, 416275, Adelaide, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 28 Apr 1941: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 416275 | |
| 31 Jul 1942: | Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 416275, No. 10 Squadron (RAAF), Air War NW Europe 1939-45 | |
| Date unknown: | Involvement |
Help us honour Arthur Reginald Meaker's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Julianne Ryan
Born: 18 April 1910 Newport, Monmouthshire, England
Father: Arthur Edward Meaker and Mother Rosa Allice Meaker,
living at 30 Oxford Terrace, Unley, SA
Batchelor of Arts, at Adelaide University, SA.
Wife: Brenda Amelia Meaker (b. 1/1/1913), living at 30 Oxford Terrace, Unley, SA.
married 25/12/1937 in Adelaide, SA
Described on enlisting as 31 yrs old; married; 5' 9" tall; 173 lbs; fresh complexion;
hazel eyes; light brown hair; Methodist
28/4/1941 enlisted iat No.4 Initial Training School, Victor Harbour, SA
place of enlisting Adelaide, South Australia - No.5 Recruitment Centre
appointed as Air Crew
26/5/1941 Air Crew V (O) - posted to 2 AOS Mt Gambier, SA
21/6/1941 Air Crew II (O)
18/10/1941 posted to No.2 BAGS Port Pirie, SA
14/12/1941 posted to No.2 ANS Nhill
10/1/1942 posted to No. 6 SFFS Mallala
14/1/1942 discharged from RAAF, on being granted a commission
15/1/1942 apppointed Pilot Officer
21/3/1942 posted to 10th Squadron
12/5/1942 arrived in UK
15/7/1942 appointed Flying Officer in 10 SQUADRON
31/7/1942 killed in flying battle
On 31 July 1942 disappeared in the Galician coast Sunderland W3994, had departed from Mount Batten at 02:15 in antisubmarine patrol and did not turn to hear the device. The aircraft took the maximum load of anti-submarine bombs and was to carry out a patrol along the Spanish coast just outside territorial waters. No signals were received from the aircraft which failed to return from the mission.
The entire crew disappeared:-
Short Sunderland Mk II; W3994, RB-X; 10 Sqn RAAF
F/Lt Eric Bruce Martin - 280,651 - RAAF
F/O Arthur Francis O'Dwyer - 405,185 - RAAF
P/O Ernest F. Hamilton Frith - 403,653 - RAAF
F/O Arthur Reginald Meaker - 416,275 - RAAF
F/O Christopher E. Thomas Bartram - 401,759 - RAAF
Sgt David Bell -. 406 430 - RAAF
Sgt John Russell Mullins -. 4701 - RAAF
AC1 Nevil Thomas Cuddihy - 14521 - RAAF
Sgt Clive Thomas Bingham -. 4559 - RAAF
AC1 Garnet William White - 13891 - RAAF
Sgt Herbert Henry Fealy. - 11069 - RAAF
LAC. Charles L. Kenneth Johnson - 34754 - RAAF
"Sunderland III, W3999 of No 10 (RAAF) Squadron exploded after making a successful forced landing on the sea after being attacked by an Arado Ar 196 during an ASR patrol." courtesy of Malcolm
No known grave
Commemorated on Panel 110 at Air Forces Memorial, Runnymede, Surrey, England.
His name is commemorated on Panel 100 at the Australian War Memorial ,
Canberra, ACT.
Sourced and submitted by Julianne T Ryan. 13/6/2016. Lest we forget.
Click images to start slideshow.