Richard Joseph DARCEY

DARCEY, Richard Joseph

Service Number: 408172
Enlisted: 28 February 1941
Last Rank: Flight Lieutenant
Last Unit: Not yet discovered
Born: Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, 2 March 1917
Home Town: Hobart, Tasmania
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Not yet discovered
Died: Accidental (Flying Accident), Manus Island, Manus Island, Manus, Admiralty Islands, Pacific Islands, 6 October 1944, aged 27 years
Cemetery: No known grave - "Known Unto God"
Rabaul Memorial, Rabaul, East New Britain, Papua New Guinea
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Rabaul Memorial
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World War 2 Service

3 Sep 1939: Involvement Flight Lieutenant, 408172
28 Feb 1941: Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Lieutenant, 408172

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Biography contributed by David Barlow

Flight Lieutenant Richard Joseph Darcey 408172 of 79 (Spitfire) Squadron RAAF was killed when Lockheed Lightning P38 NR679 crashed into the sea near Mokerang (Southeast Point, Los Negros, Admiralty Islands, New Guinea) - his body was not recovered and he is commemorated on the Rabaul Memorial

The aircraft's engine failed under load while he was practising asymmetric flying, and he was forced to ditch the aeroplane

Incident is mentioned in the book "A Call To Arms" - a memoir by Arthur Gately (with pilot's surname mis-spelt as Darcy)

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