STRIKE-MCCLELLAND, Billie
| Service Number: | 412748 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 20 July 1941, Sydney, NSW |
| Last Rank: | Flying Officer |
| Last Unit: | No. 1 Bombing and Air Gunnery School / No. 1 Air Observers School / Evans Head |
| Born: | Leeton, New South Wales, Australia, 13 November 1921 |
| Home Town: | Leeton, Leeton, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Wamoon State School |
| Occupation: | Student |
| Died: | Flying Accident, Evans Head, New South Wales, Australia, 7 March 1944, aged 22 years |
| Cemetery: |
Evans Head War Cemetery, NSW Plot B Row D Grave 5 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Leeton Mountford Park WW2 Memorial |
World War 2 Service
| 3 Sep 1939: | Involvement Flying Officer, 412748 | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Jul 1941: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 412748, No. 1 Bombing and Air Gunnery School / No. 1 Air Observers School / Evans Head, Sydney, NSW |
Help us honour Billie Strike-Mcclelland's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Faithe Jones
Son of Burtie and Agnes Mary Strike-McClelland; husband of Jessie Strike-McClelland, of Croydon.
Killed in Plane Crash
Flying Officer "Billie" Strike-McClelland, of Leeton, was killed at a northern N.S.W. R.A.A.F. station on Tuesday, 7th March, when aircraft, of which he was the pilot, crashed during training exercises. Four other R.A.A.F. airmen were also killed: Flight Sergeant Bruce Duckworth, wireless air gunner, of Aararat, Vic.; L.A.C. Robert Thomas Robertson, trainee navigator, of Enfield, N.S.W.; L.A.C. Patrick John Scanlon, trainee navigator, of Torwood, Brisbane, and L.A.C. Neville Thomas Self, trainee navigator of Paddington, Sydney.
Flying Officer Strike-McClelland, who turned 22 years of age in November last, is the son of Mrs. Ned Emerson, of Wamoon. He also leaves a young wife and infant son John, seven months old, who are in Sydney. Born at Wamoon, where he went to school prior to entering the High School, Flying Officer Strike-McClelland was a very popular and well-known young man. A good athlete he put up some fast times at L.I.H.S. as a footrunner. He also played in the Rugby team at school and with the Wamoon Football Club. He seemed born for the air, as he made rapid progress after joining the R.A.A.F. and was soon piloting a Wirraway and early gained his commission as a pilot officer, to be further promoted to ihe rank of flying officer, and has been an instructor at Evans Head.
Biography contributed by David Barlow
Avro Anson AW485 from Number 1 Air Observers School crashed near Maclean in NSW killing Flying Officer Strike-McClelland 412748 / Flight Sergeant Duckworth 409394 / LAC Robertson 439616 / LAC Scanlan 435197 / LAC Self 433627
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