LEST WE FORGET

Flying Officer Alfred Vincent Eric BATE

Service No: 431161
Born: Mildura VIC, 30 April 1913
Enlisted in the RAAF: 1 June 1943
Unit: No. 7 Squadron
Died: Air Operations: (No. 7 Squadron Beaufort aircraft A9-660), Papua, 28 January 1945, Aged 31 Years
Buried: Port Moresby (Bomana) War Cemetery PNG
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Richard Alfred and Annie Valentine Bate; husband of Constance Bate, of East Brighton; Victoria
Roll of Honour: Mildura VIC
Remembered: Panel 99, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT

On 28 January 1945, Beaufort A9-660 went missing on a flight from Port Moresby to Tadji via Lae. The wreckage of the aircraft was subsequently discovered.

Crew

Wing Commander Nigel William Barker (260411) (Pilot)
Flying Officer Alfred Vincent Eric Bate (431161) (Navigator)
Flying Officer Colin Laidler Chisholm (431737) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Flying Officer Allan Dalglish (439416) (Second Pilot)
Flight Sergeant William Henry Pratt (434897) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)

Passengers

Sergeant Reginald Thomas Barter (60200) (Service Police, Port Moresby)
Lieutenant Colonel Austin George Fenton (NX484) Australian Army, HQ Military History Section
Flight Sergeant Trevor Neil Hay (56177) (No. 76 Squadron)

A9-660 was escorting No. 76 Squadron Kittyhawk aircraft A29-649 (Warrant Officer Raymond John Keyes (420571)) which also went missing but has not been found.

References:

Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A9845, 264

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