LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Richard Paynter STEVENS
Service No: 414110
Born: Murwillumbah NSW, 25 September 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 20 July 1941 (at Brisbane QLD)
Unit: No. 3 Bombing and Gunnery School, West Sale VIC
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 3 Bombing and Gunnery School Battle aircraft L9362), West Sale, 5 June 1943, Aged 20 Years
Buried: Sale War Cemetery, VIC
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Richard Paynter Stevens and Phyllis Mary Humphreys Stevens, of Murwillumbah, New South Wales
Roll of Honour: Murwillumbah NSW
Remembered: Panel 117, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 0900 hours on 5 May 1943, Fairey Battle L9362 crashed at No. 4 Air-to-Ground Range near West Sale and all three crew members were killed. The cause of the accident was a coolant (glycol) leak that caused the engine to catch fire with the smoke and flames incapacitating the pilot. The crew members of L9362 were:
Leading Aircraftman Charles Thomas Epps (429939) (Trainee Air Gunner)
Leading Aircraftman Douglas Carl Raymond Fisher (419931) (Trainee Air Gunner)
Sergeant Richard Paynter Stevens (414110) (Instructor Pilot)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A9845, 235