BELL, Ralph Douglas
| Service Number: | 207712 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 19 February 1939 |
| Last Rank: | Leading Aircraftman |
| Last Unit: | No. 10 Squadron (RAAF) |
| Born: | Arncliffe, New South Wales, Australia , 9 October 1919 |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Died: | Flying Battle, Irish Sea, 29 April 1941, aged 21 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, England, United Kingdom |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Runnymede Memorial |
World War 2 Service
| 19 Feb 1939: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Leading Aircraftman, 207712 | |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Sep 1939: | Involvement Leading Aircraftman, 207712, No. 10 Squadron (RAAF), Air War NW Europe 1939-45 |
Help us honour Ralph Douglas Bell's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography
Ralph Bell was a crew member of a 10 Squadron Sunderland flying boat returning from anti-submarine operations on 28 April 1941. The aircraft could not locate the base flare path because of poor visibility and an incorrect radio beacon transmission which gave the pilot a reciproal bearing. When running low on fuel and having given the crew the option of bailing out over southern island, the pilot began a procedure to set down at sea. The aircraft hit the surface of the ocean without warning. A full account of the incident is located here. 10 Squadron Sunderland lost at sea. (aircrewremembered.com)