LIGHT, Kevin William
| Service Number: | 402447 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 19 August 1940 |
| Last Rank: | Flight Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | No. 9 Squadron (RAF) |
| Born: | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 29 January 1921 |
| Home Town: | Randwick, Randwick, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Marist Brothers College, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Oxy Welder |
| Died: | Natural causes, Gerringong, New South Wales, Australia, 16 July 2008, aged 87 years |
| Cemetery: |
Gerringong Cemetery, New South Wales |
| Memorials: | Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial |
World War 2 Service
| 19 Aug 1940: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Aircraftman 2 (WW2), 402447, No. 2 Initial Training School Bradfield Park | |
|---|---|---|
| 14 Oct 1940: | Promoted Royal Australian Air Force, Leading Aircraftman | |
| 27 Nov 1940: | Embarked Royal Australian Air Force, Leading Aircraftman, 402447, Embarked from Sydney for Canada. Disembarked on 23 Dec 1940. | |
| 24 Dec 1940: | Transferred Royal Australian Air Force, Leading Aircraftman, Royal Canadian Air Force Training Units | |
| 14 Apr 1941: | Promoted Royal Australian Air Force, Sergeant | |
| 19 May 1941: | Embarked Royal Australian Air Force, Sergeant, 402447, Embarked from Canada for U.K. Disembarked on 07 June 1941. | |
| 7 Jun 1941: | Transferred Royal Australian Air Force, Sergeant, Royal Air Force - unspecified units, Bomber Command Training Units. | |
| 14 Oct 1941: | Promoted Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Sergeant | |
| 25 Feb 1942: | Transferred Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Sergeant, No. 460 Squadron (RAAF), Commenced Ops. | |
| 25 Feb 1942: | Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Sergeant, 402447, No. 460 Squadron (RAAF), Air War NW Europe 1939-45 | |
| 14 Oct 1942: | Promoted Royal Australian Air Force, Warrant Officer | |
| 12 Jun 1943: | Promoted Royal Australian Air Force, Pilot Officer | |
| 11 Dec 1943: | Promoted Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer | |
| 15 Jan 1944: | Transferred Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, No. 9 Squadron (RAF) | |
| 18 Apr 1944: | Imprisoned Evaded for three months before being arrested by the Gestapo in late July 1944. | |
| 11 Jun 1945: | Promoted Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Lieutenant | |
| 29 Oct 1945: | Discharged Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Lieutenant, 402447, No. 9 Squadron (RAF) |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by David Barlow
Kevin William Light late of Gerringong, formerly of Caringbah, died aged 87 on the 16th of July 2008 - Death notice in the Daily Telegraph (Sydney) and the Illawarra Mercury
Flying Officer Kevin William Light DFM 402447 RAAF was one of three crew members able to bale out of 9SQN RAF Bomber Command Lancaster LM361 when it was shot down near Paris while attacking the railway marshalling yards at Juvisy on 19 April 1944
Flying Officer Light became a Prisoner of War after evading capture for 3 months. He was arrested by the Gestapo in July 1944 and he was held at Buchenwald for two months before being released to the Luftwaffe and placed in Stalag Luft 111 - he was liberated in May 1945 (previously served with 460 Squadron)
Flying Officer James Arthur Smith 413909 (O22022) RAAF and Sergeant Charles Martin 1315761 RAF evaded capture and made their way back to England through a neutral country.
Killed were Flight Sergeant Dudley Clive Bates 426426 RAAF / Sergeant Ronald Wilson RAF 1676659 / Flight Sergeant Dennis Elvet Moss RAF 1578638 / Sergeant Frank Heath RAF 1337216 and all four men are buried side-by-side in the Commonwealth War Graves section of Clichy North Cemetery in north-west Paris
Click images to start slideshow.