AGNEW, Robert
| Service Number: | 404816 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 6 December 1940 |
| Last Rank: | Flight Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | Not yet discovered |
| Born: | Peeramon, Queensland, Australia, 17 December 1914 |
| Home Town: | Mackay, Mackay, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Accidental, North Coates, United Kingdom, 23 April 1944, aged 29 years |
| Cemetery: |
Harrogate (Stonefall) Cemetery, North Yorkshire, England Sec. P, Row E, Grave 2 Roll of Honour Tolga |
| Memorials: | Atherton War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, North Queensland Garden of Remembrance (Townsville) |
World War 2 Service
| 3 Sep 1939: | Involvement Flight Lieutenant, 404816 | |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Dec 1940: | Enlisted Brisbane, Queensland | |
| 6 Dec 1940: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Lieutenant, 404816 |
Flight Lieutenant Robert Agnew
Flight Lieutenant Robert AGNEW
Service No: 404816
Born: Peeramon QLD, 17 December 1914
Enlisted in the RAAF: 6 December 1940
Unit: No. 143 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station North Coates
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 143 Squadron Beaufighter aircraft JM279), Lincolnshire, 23 April 1944, Aged 29 Years
Buried: Harrogate (Stonefall) Cemetery, Yorkshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of James and Jeannie Agnew; husband of Edna Mabel Agnew, of Mackay, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Tolga QLD
Remembered: Panel 118, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 2213 hours on the night of 23 April 1944 Beaufighter JM279 took off from North Coates to carry out night flying practice off Flamborough Head. The purpose of the exercise was to give the crew practice at locating small shipping targets at night. The weather was good at the time. At the duration of the exercise, witnesses saw the aircraft approaching from the south east and gradually losing height to fly low past them and appear under perfect control. The aircraft passed within 1,000 yards of their position in a north west direction with its navigation lights on at speed. The aircraft was then lost sight of over the brow of a hill and it then crashed and immediately burst into flames at a height of approximately 450 feet above sea level. An examination of the wreck shows that the initial impact was made by the port wing and the starboard propellers. The aircraft struck the ground later at a very shallow angle. It became airborne again for a further 150 yards and finally skidded to rest in flames. In a report on the accident, the Commanding Officer of No. 143 Squadron stated: “Primary cause: The Pilot was flying too low and is responsible for the accident.
It was believed that the accident was caused by faulty instrument flying in that the pilot may have been concentrating on looking for the coast and relaxed his watch on the blind flying panel.
The Station Commander of RAF North Coates stated: “I agree with the above. The Beaufighter at night suffers from the disadvantage that there is no one apart from the Pilot who can look out ahead, and this means that he is prevented from concentrating entirely on his instruments.” .
The crew members of JM279 were:
Flight Lieutenant Robert Agnew (404816) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Harold Benjamin Blackwell (1060671) (RAFVR) (Navigator Wireless)
Courtesy of The aviationmuseum.org
Submitted 14 March 2021 by Lynette Turner
Biography contributed by Faithe Jones
Son of James and Jeannie Agnew; husband of Edna Mabel Agnew, of Mackay, Queensland, Australia.
HE DIED THAT WE MIGHT LIVE
After training he was awarded his pilots' flying badge on 29th May 1941. In the UK he was posted to 4 AOS on 28th October 1941 (possibly to serve as a staff pilot). He was granted a commission on 31st March 1942. On 8th August 1942 he was seriously injured as a result of a car accident between his car and a service M.T. vehicle near Stranraer. Once recovered he trained at 132 OTU and 2 (C)OTU before posting to 143 Squadron on 15th July 1943.
On 23rd April 1944 the crew on board this 143 Squadron aircraft took off from their base at North Coates at 22.13hrs to undertake an exercise with a fishing vessel in the Bridlington area. The actual reason for the flight is listed on the Form AM1180 as being "co-operation with pinnace"; a pinnace is a small fishing vessel. The crew were to practice locating small ships at night. Whilst flying on instruments the aircraft struck the ground on Folkton Wold at 23.05hrs. On hitting the ground it jumped back into the air briefly before skidding for a short distance and running over a raised track and verge at the edge of the field. This verge turned the aircraft over and after travelling for a short distance further it caught fire and was destroyed. As part of the flight the aircraft would have had to fly low to find the target. The pilot had probably lost his position, drifted back over land and was unaware of the rising ground to which he flew into.
The sad news was received in Mackay pn Thursday of the death of Flight-Lieut. Robert Agnew in an air crash in England. Flight- Lieut. Agnew joined the RAAF In 1940 and for the past 2 years has been serving with the RAAF in Scotland and England. Besides his sorrowing young wife he leaves a little daughter aged two years, whom he has never seen.
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