Ronald Douglas ROBERTSON

ROBERTSON, Ronald Douglas

Service Number: 411951
Enlisted: 21 June 1941
Last Rank: Flying Officer
Last Unit: No. 71 Squadron (RAAF)
Born: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 9 January 1918
Home Town: Drummoyne, Canada Bay, New South Wales
Schooling: Sydney University, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation: Clerk, NSW Department of Road Transport and Tramways, Sydney
Died: Flying Accident, Gladstone Hospital, Queensland, Australia, 1 August 1943, aged 25 years
Cemetery: Gladstone Cemetery, Qld
Protestant Plot - Grave 1698
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour
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World War 2 Service

3 Sep 1939: Involvement Flying Officer, 411951
21 Jun 1941: Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Aircrew Training Units
21 Jun 1941: Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 411951
23 Jul 1943: Wounded No. 71 Squadron (RAAF)

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Biography contributed by David Barlow

RAAF Avro Anson aircraft AX471 clipped a Pisonia tree on Heron Island off the central Queensland coast with one of its wings and crashed into the ground at 1040 hours on 23 July 1943 while on a non-operational training flight.  Of the five crew on board, three were killed instantly and two others were seriously injured - one of whom died a week later from his injuries.  Crew list:

Flying Officer David Skene Paterson (405931) 66 Squadron RAAF

Flying Officer Francis Joseph Robinson (264997) 32 Squadron RAAF

Flying Officer Fabian Crothers McMaster (420102) 71 Squadron RAAF

Flying Officer Ronald Douglas Robertson (411951) of 71 Squadron RAAF died on 1 August 1943. Ronald was the uncle of the famous Australian barrister Geoffrey Robertson Q.C.  Son of Harold Lancelot and Florence Robertson of Drummoyne, NSW

 

The other seriously injured crew member was AC Eastoe (124403) - Thomas George Eastoe served in the ACMF with Army Number Q3769 prior to enlisting in the RAAF - he survived this aircraft crash and was discharged from the RAAF in December 1945

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