LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Reginald Joseph TUDEHOPE
Service No: 424479
Born: Sydney NSW, 30 July 1919
Enlisted in the RAAF: 12 September 1942
Unit: No. 10 Radio School (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 10 Radio School Anson aircraft DJ639), Irish Sea, 25 April 1944, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of James Alfred and Mabel Tudehope, of Rose Bay, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 262, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey UK
Remembered: Panel 131, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Commonwealth Bank of Australia Honour Rolls, Sydney NSW
At 1357 hours on 25 April 1944, Anson DJ639 took off from Carew Cherington on a three hour Wireless Telegraph training flight over the Irish Sea. At 1500 hours a fix was obtained in position 52.10N 0603W. Nothing further was heard from the aircraft and it failed to return to base. An unconfirmed report from Eire authorities reported that an aircraft was seen to dive into the sea from 4,000 feet at 1516 hours some four miles south east of Greenore Point and one mile north of Tusker Rock. The aircraft was a total loss and no parts were recovered. The body of one crew member was picked up by launch at 1530 hours. It was later recorded that the three missing crew members had lost their lives at sea.
The crew members of DJ639 were:
Aircraftman Class II Ronald Richard Carr (3025469) (RAFVR) (Supernumerary) Remains recovered
Flight Lieutenant Robert Irvine Johnson (118115) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Reginald Joseph Tudehope (424479) (First Student Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Sydney James Herbert Young (424503) (Second Student Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
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, 166/40/182
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line