LEST WE FORGET

Sergeant Ronald Charles BELL

Service No: 412884
Born: Kensington NSW, 30 October 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 15 August 1941
Unit: No. 57 Operational Training Unit (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 57 Operational Training Unit Spitfire aircraft P8362), Northumberland, 27 February 1943, Aged 20 Years
Buried: Chevington Cemetery, Acklington, Northumberland
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Albert Edward John and Eva May Bell, of Bondi, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Sydney NSW
Remembered: Panel 118, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Concord War Memorial, Concord NSW

At 1700 hours on 27 February 1943, Spitfire P8362 on a non-operational training exercise Balbo crashed at Eshott Home Farm, 3 miles south south-easr of Eshott aerodrome Northumberland killing Sergeant Bell.

There was a mid-air collision between Sergeant Bell flying Spitfire P8362 as No. 2 in Yellow section and Sergeant H Myhre (1668) (Royal Norwegian Air Force) flying No. 3 Yellow section in Spitfire P8360. The Section was led by Flying Officer Bailey and was some distance behind the rest of the Squadron. The Section Leader opened up and was ordered by the Squadron Commander to turn to starboard. This turn would have brought the section over the aerodrome. It was considered that either No 3 overshot No. 2 and collided, or that No. 3 tried to form up between his Leader and No. 2 with the same result.

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, 166/5/55
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line

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