CASSIDY, Frederick Reginald
| Service Number: | 6732 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 8 January 1940 |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | Not yet discovered |
| Born: | Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia, 29 July 1917 |
| Home Town: | Toombul, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Schooling: | St Joseph's Convent Toombul; Christian Brother's College Albion |
| Occupation: | Bank Staff |
| Died: | Air Crash in training - lost at sea, Cape Willoughby, South Australia, South Australia, Australia, 3 June 1942, aged 24 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" At Sea, Sydney Memorial, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Bundaberg Civic Centre Memorial Portico, Cape Willoughby RAAF Arvo Anson W2435 Crash Site, Sydney Memorial (Sydney War Cemetery) Rookwood |
World War 2 Service
| 8 Jan 1940: | Enlisted 6732, Enlisted in Brisbane | |
|---|---|---|
| 8 Jan 1940: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Sergeant, 6732 | |
| 3 Jun 1942: | Involvement Sergeant, 6732, Empire Air Training Scheme |
RAAF air crash near Cape Willoughby South Australia
On Wednesday 3rd Jun 1942, an Avro Anson from 6 Service Flying Training School, Mallala, W2435; ditched into the sea.
REPORTS:
Official: Summary:
At approximately 1900 hours, Anson W2435 under the command of Sgt Cassidy; whilst on a navigation exercise ditched into the sea about 1 mile SSE of the Cape Willoughby lighthouse. Reports indicate that the aircraft drifted further out to sea and sank. No bodies or wreckage were recovered, unable to determine the cause of the incident.
Eyewitness:
The plane sounded like it was losing power, spluttering a bit. It disappeared from my sight but I thought I heard a noise like something whooshing into the sea. A mate told me later that he could see it bobbing around out to sea, then it was gone. Apparently the lighthouse keeper saw it go down, boats went out but nothing was found by our people; I don't know if the Air Force blokes or police found - Read more...
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SYDNEY MEMORIAL
Panels to the crew of W2435 are located at Sydney War Cemetery in the grounds of the Rookwood Necropolis. The panels are to recognise (amongst others) those who perished and their remains not recovered. The inscription on a continuous frieze on the memorial states:
1939-HERE ARE RECORDED THE NAMES OF THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO DIED IN THE EASTERN AND SOUTHERN REGIONS OF AUSTRALIA, ON LAND, AT SEA, AND IN THE AIR, BUT TO WHOM THE FORTUNE OF WAR DENIED THE KNOWN AND HONOURED BURIAL GIVEN TO THEIR COMRADES IN DEATH-1945
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View Tributes of Honour Description
Submitted 2 November 2015 by Steve Larkins
Biography contributed by Faithe Jones
Son of William Patrick and Florence Olive Cassidy, of Southport, Queensland.
Sgt. Pilot Frederick Reginald Cassidy, 24, eldest son of Mr and Mrs W. P. Cassidy. of Toombul, who is believed to have lost his life as a result of air operations off the coast of S. Australia, on 3 June.
Educated at none St Joseph's Con- Sgt. Pilot Cassidy vent, Toombul, and Christian Brothers' College, Albion, he was employed at the Fortitude Valley branch of the Commonwealth Bank, before enlisting.
The day war was declared, Sgt. Pilot Cassidy made preliminary inquiries for the Army and the following day for the Navy. A week later he joined the Air Force. An uncle and namesake, Air Commodore R. Cassidy, who was a Queensland Rhodes scholar, is serving with the RAF.
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