Francis Joseph ROBINSON

ROBINSON, Francis Joseph

Service Number: 264997
Enlisted: 30 January 1942
Last Rank: Flying Officer
Last Unit: No. 32 Squadron (RAAF)
Born: Woollahra, New South Wales, Australia, 3 June 1903
Home Town: Bondi, Waverley, New South Wales
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Assistant Credit Manager, Caltex Ltd.
Died: (Aircraft accident, Heron Island, Queensland, Australia, 23 July 1943, aged 40 years
Cemetery: Gladstone Cemetery, Qld
R.C. Plot - Grave 1694
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour
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World War 2 Service

3 Sep 1939: Involvement Flying Officer, 264997
30 Jan 1942: Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Aircrew Training Units
30 Mar 1942: Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 264997
23 Jul 1943: Involvement No. 32 Squadron (RAAF)

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Biography contributed by David Barlow

Son of Joseph George and Alice Mary Robinson of Sydney, NSW

Husband of Phyllis Ann Robinson of Bondi, NSW

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.

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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