WILKINSON, Bruce Gordon
| Service Number: | 30829 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 12 February 1941 |
| Last Rank: | Pilot Officer |
| Last Unit: | Not yet discovered |
| Born: | SMITHTON, TAS, 11 August 1916 |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Died: | Accidental, United Kingdom, 31 August 1944, aged 28 years |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, International Bomber Command Centre Memorial |
World War 2 Service
| 3 Sep 1939: | Involvement Pilot Officer, 30829 | |
|---|---|---|
| 12 Feb 1941: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Pilot Officer, 30829 |
Short Sterling Bomber LJ630
Short Sterling heavy bomber LJ630
On the 31st Aug 1944, a Stirling bomber, LJ630 from 1654 HCU, took off from Wigsley at 2325 hours for a long night cross-country flight. This was the crew’s first night cross country flight. The aircraft crashed shortly after take off near Stanton-by-Dale, 6 miles WSW from Nottingham, and all the crew were killed. The outer starboard engine was on fire, and at the time there was thundery weather and lightning.
Crew:
Pilot; Plt Off Bruce Gordon Wilkinson 30829 RAAF
Staff Flight Engineer; FS William Edwin John Cox 1607195 RAFVR
Flight Engineer; Sgt James Lambell 1594880 RAFVR
Nav; Sgt Raymond George Alexander 1607283 RAFVR
Air bomber; Sgt Aereon Hughes 1622493 RAFVR
WOp; FS Paul Duce Arthur 422093 RAAF
AG; Sgt Thomas Henry Westhead 650407 RAF
Plt Off Wilkinson and FS Arthur are buried in the Oxford (Botley) Cemetery. All the RAF crew members except Sgt Westhead are buried in the Thorney (St Helen) Churchyard, Nottinghamshire
Sgt Westhead is buried in the Brierley (Grimethorpe) Cemetery.
Submitted 20 July 2019 by David Potter
Click images to start slideshow.