LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Lynton Vennell Howard BIRT
Service No: 406823
Born: Adelaide SA, 12 June 1917
Enlisted in the RAAF: 28 April 1941
Unit: No. 4 Service Flying Training School, Geraldton WA
Died: Aircraft Accident, (No. 4 Flying Training School Anson aircraft W2262), near Clackline WA, 9 October 1942, Aged 25 Years
Buried: Karrakatta War Cemetery, WA
CWGC Additional Information: Son of George Edward Howard Birt and Genevieve Birt, of Nedlands.
Roll of Honour: Perth WA
Remembered: Panel 115, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Cenotaph Undercroft, State War Memorial, Kings Park WA
Remembered: Hale School Memorial Grove, Wembley Downs WA
Anson W2262 ex RAAF Station Pearce to RAAF Station Geraldton, after having completed Direction Finding exercises, crashed and burst into flames in the vicinity of Clackline WA at 0342Z (1142 hours local) this day. The occupants of the aircraft Flying Officer Birt (406823), Sergeant Nixon (414073), Sergeant Hugo (415255), and Sergeant Debenham (411295) were killed immediately. The cause of the accident is obscure and a Court of Inquiry is being convened under Wing Commander D. MacLean as Air Accident Investigating Officer. Squadron Leader Cooper of this Station, en route to RAAF Station Pearce at time of accident, instructed to proceed to scene of crash.
No. 4 Service Flying Training School RAAF Operations Record Book A50 Entry dated 9 October 1942
The crew members of W2262 were:
Flying Officer Lynton Vennel Howard Birt (406823) (Observer)
Sergeant Geoffrey Lancaster Debenham (411295) (Pilot)
Sergeant Kenneth Colin Hugo (415255) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Noel Louis Nixon (414073) (Observer)
References:
Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Metropolitan Cemeteries Board (Perth) On-Line Records
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A9845, 77
Bibliography:
Brenkley, D. J. (Doug J.) RAAF Historical Record of No. 4 Service Flying Training School Geraldton WA, D.J. Brenkley, 2007
Wilson, S. (Stewart) Anson, Hudson and Sunderland in Australian Service, Aerospace Publications Weston Creek ACT 2611, 1992