LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Arthur Neville AUSTIN
Service No: 411726
Born: Sydney NSW, 4 November 1919
Enlisted in the RAAF: 25 May 1941
Unit: No. 3 Squadron
Died: Air Operations (No. 3 Squadron Kittyhawk aircraft EL437), Libya, 14 January 1943, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Arthur John Samuel and Elizabeth Austin, of Homebush, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Strathfield NSW
Remembered: Column 272, Alamein Memorial, Egypt
Remembered: Panel 98, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 14 January 1943, Kittyhawk EL437 flown by Flying Officer Austin was one of an eight aircraft formation engaged in an armed reconnaissance in the Misurata area, Libya. While bombing enemy concentrations, the formation was attacked by hostile aircraft and numerous dogfights ensued. EL437 failed to return from the mission.
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, 166/4/7
Bibliography:
Ilbery, P.L.T. (Peter Leslie Thomas) (422957) Hatching an Air Force: 2SFTS, 5SFTS, 1BFTS Uranquinty and Wagga Wagga, Banner Books Maryborough QLD 4650, 2002