LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Richard Trevor BENNETT
Service No: 411272
Born: Belmore NSW, 8 November 1914
Enlisted in the RAAF: 28 April 1941
Unit: No. 5 Elementary Flying Training School, Narromine NSW
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 5 Elementary Flying Training School Tiger Moth aircraft A17-513), near Orange NSW, 2 December 1943, Aged 28 Years
Buried: Narromine War Cemetery, NSW
CWGC Additional Information: Son of George Edward and Nellie Bennett, of Belmore; husband of Florrie Isabell Bennett, of Leichhardt
Roll of Honour: Belmore NSW
Remembered: Panel 115, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
During a non-operational cross country exercise on 2 December 1943, Tiger Moth A17-513 crashed at 0835 hours six miles north of Orange, New South Wales and Flying Officer Bennett was killed. The flight commenced at 0720 hours and the Route was Narromine, Orange, Mudgee and Narromine. At approximately 0930 hours a telephone call from the VOAC Orange reported that an aircraft had crashed on Mr McKay’s property six miles north of Orange, and one crew member was killed and another seriously injured in the crash. Eye witnesses stated that “the aircraft appeared to have engine trouble and the pilot had attempted a forced landing. The aircraft made an approach to a field but overshot, and while making a further circuit and during a low turn into the field, the nose dropped and the aircraft dived into the ground.” It was considered that “engine failure appeared to be a contributory factor, although there appeared to be sufficient power for the instructor to make a second attempt at landing, and loss of flying speed in a turn close to the ground, would appear to be the cause of the accident.”
The crew members of A17-513 were:
Flying Officer Richard Trevor Bennett (411272) (Instructor Pilot)
Flying Officer Victor Edward Mahy (436202) (Trainee Dual Pilot) Seriously injured, Discharged from the RAAF: 26 August 1946
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/5/361; A9845, 46