GIRDLER, Eric Arthur
| Service Number: | 404052 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 29 April 1940 |
| Last Rank: | Leading Aircraftman |
| Last Unit: | Aircrew Training Units |
| Born: | Esk, Queensland, Australia, 29 September 1913 |
| Home Town: | Imbil, Gympie Regional Council, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Died: | Accidental (Flying Accident), Casino, New South Wales, Australia, 4 March 1941, aged 27 years |
| Cemetery: |
Ipswich General Cemetery, Qld C of E Plot Section A Grave A8684, Ipswich General Cemetery, Ipswich, Queensland, Australia |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Gympie WW2, Imbil War Memorial, Kandanga Cemetery Memorial |
World War 2 Service
| 3 Sep 1939: | Involvement 404052 | |
|---|---|---|
| 29 Apr 1940: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Leading Aircraftman, 404052, Aircrew Training Units | |
| 29 Apr 1940: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Leading Aircraftman, 404052 |
Help us honour Eric Arthur Girdler's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by David Barlow
LAC Girdler 404052 RAAF was killed when Anson aircraft W1535 crashed following a mid-air collision with Anson aircraft W1533
The two aircraft from 3 Service Flying Training School at Amberley were engaged on a cross country Navigation exercise when they collided at approximately 2500 feet 11 miles north-west of Casino, NSW - W1533 damaged the tail of W1535 and LAC O’Brien survived by jumping by parachute. LAC Girdler did not obtain his required parachute before the flight (in disobedience of orders).
Aircraft W1533 landed at Casino with damage to starboard mainplane and part of their wing missing - there were no injuries to the two crew and two passengers aboard.
Biography contributed by Faithe Jones
AIRMAN KILLED
R.A.A.F. Planes Collide
CASINO, Tuesday.— Two Air Force planes of a formation of four, on a cross-country flight from Amberley, collided in the air at Dybarra, near Casino, this morning. One crashed into dead timber, killing one occupant. The other balled out and landed unhurt. The other machine flew on to Casino and landed safely, though a wing was damaged.
The wing of one plane touched the tall of another, sheering part of it away. The latter went into a glide, turned over and crashed. One of the men jumped with a parachute just in time.
Police and Ambulance soon located the wreck, but the other occupant was dead. Apparently he had been killed instantly.
The dead pilot was Leading Aircraftsman Eric Arthur Girdler (27), Imbil, Gympie. His co-pilot saved by parachute was John Joseph O'Brien (20), of Brisbane.
Girdler's father, Mr. A. W. Girdler, saddler, of Imbil, said his son enlisted as a pilot last April but after being at Archerfleld for some weeks was passed out as his education qualifications were not up to standard. He went home but was determined to be a pilot and last July re-enllsted as an observer. He qualified as a pilot in the remusterlng at Sydney and received air crew training at Tamworth and Amberley. He was very keen on flying and had 80 hours flying with the Queensland Aero Club at Brisbane.
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