William RIGGALL

RIGGALL, William

Service Number: VX80932
Enlisted: 30 July 1942
Last Rank: Lieutenant
Last Unit: Not yet discovered
Born: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 February 1913
Home Town: Malvern, Stonnington, Victoria
Schooling: Geelong Grammar School, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
Occupation: Solicitor
Died: Aircraft accident, Machan's Beach, Cairns, Queensland, Australia, 5 March 1945, aged 32 years
Cemetery: No known grave - "Known Unto God"
Sydney Memorial, Rookwood, Cumberland Council, New South Wales, Australia. Panel 1.
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Melbourne Cricket Club WW2 Honour Roll, Sydney Memorial (Sydney War Cemetery) Rookwood
Show Relationships

World War 2 Service

3 Sep 1939: Involvement Lieutenant, VX80932
30 Jul 1942: Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Lieutenant, VX80932

Help us honour William Riggall's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by David Barlow

Son of Lieutenant Colonel Harold William Riggall DSO, a Gallipoli veteran of WW1 and Elsie Mary Riggall 

Husband of Beryl Hilda Riggall of Malvern, Victoria

Commemorated on Panel 1 of the Sydney Memorial

 

RAAF Lockheed Hudson A16-118 (VMZI-FM) crashed into the sea about 400 yards out from Machan's Beach, just north of the mouth of the Barron River near Cairns - the pilot had been warned not to take off due to a cyclone in the area, however they left from Townsville and crashed near Cairns. The aircraft was carrying:

Major General George Alan Vasey VX9 - HQ 7 Australian Division

Major General Rupert Major Downes CMG VD of the Australian Army Medical Corps

Lieutenant Colonel George Anthony Bertram OBE NX324 of Advanced Land HQ "G" Branch Australian Headquarters

Corporal Edward Lewis James NX4011 of Local Administration Staff Australian Headquarters - Batman to General Vasey

Colonel Robert Heathcote Russell DSO NX168 of the Australian Army Medical Corps

Lieutenant William Riggall VX80932 of the Australian Army Service Corps (6 Division Headquarters) - Aide-de-camp to General Vasey

RAAF crew from Number 4 Communications Flight:

Flight Lieutenant John William Newell 404543

Flying Officer Gordon Thomson DFM 400573

Warrant Officer Berrol Samuel Frieze 409400

Flying Officer Donald James Bassett 406465

Leading Aircraftman John Dudley Moore 77157

Read more...