LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer Allan John BEER
Service No: 403896
Born: Sydney NSW, 20 July 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 31 March 1941
Unit: No. 118 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Air Operations (No. 118 Squadron Spitfire aircraft W3429), Netherlands, 10 April 1943, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Bergen General Cemetery, Noord Holland, Netherlands
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Sydney and Gertrude Beer, of Lindfield, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Sydney NSW
Remembered: Panel 118, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: St David’s Uniting Church World War 2 Stained Glass Windows, Lindfield NSW
Remembered: St David’s Uniting Church Roll of Honour, Lindfield NSW
On a daytime operational flight on 10 April 1943, Spitfire W3429 was one of four Spitfires of B Flight detailed to attack barge concentrations at Zand. Intense light anti-aircraft fire was encountered and the engine of W3429 was hit and seen to be on fire. Pilot Officer Beer glided towards a field but shortly after the aircraft was seen to be burning in two distinct fires 25 yards apart. The aircraft had exploded on landing, killing Pilot Officer Beer.
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, 166/5/116
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line