LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant William Edward ANDERSON
Service No: 402196
Born: Sydney NSW, 5 May 1919
Enlisted in the RAAF: 24 June 1940
Unit: No. 69 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Air Operations (No. 69 Squadron Maryland aircraft 1639), off Malta, 18 March 1942, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of William and Florence Maud Anderson, of Matraville, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Sydney NSW
Remembered: Panel 5, Column 2, Malta Memorial, Malta
Remembered: Panel 118, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 18 March 1942 Maryland 1639 was returning to Malta from a reconnaissance patrol. About 4 miles southwest of Filfola in the Malta area, it was attacked by enemy fighters and shot sown into the sea. Air Sea Rescue searches were carried out but no trace of the aircraft or crew was found. Following post war enquiries and investigations, it was recorded in 1948 that the missing crew members had lost their lives at sea.
The crew members of 1639 were:
Sergeant William Edward Anderson (402196) (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Sergeant Arthur George James Delehaunt (770799) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Sergeant Robert Keith Grimley (402275) (Observer)
Sergeant Graham Burford Parker (400599) (Pilot)
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, 163/87/294