LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Ray Kethel BOLGER
Service No: 430243
Born: Williamstown VIC, 7 August 1924
Enlisted in the RAAF: 1 January 1943
Unit: No. 27 Operational Training Unit, RAF Lichfield, Staffordshire
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 27 Operational Training Unit Wellington aircraft LP 437), Staffordshire, 30 July 1944, Aged 19 Years
Buried: Chester (Blacon) Cemetery, Cheshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Nicholas Patrick and Ivy Valetta Bolger, of Yallourn, Victoria, Australia.
Roll of Honour: Yallourn VIC
Remembered: Panel 119, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Wellington LP437 took off from RAF Station Lichfield, on a non-operational training flight on 30th July 1944, and crashed near Stafford at 0410 hours. The aircraft was trying to land in bad weather and crashed at Doxey Wood farm, Thorney Fields Lane off Newport road, Staffordshire approximately 15 kms south west of Stafford. All on board were killed. The aircraft was on a night bombing exercise and was diverted to Hixon from base owing to bad visibility at base. Hixon then diverted the aircraft to Seighford where an attempt was made to land. Flight Sergeant Manners was attached to No 46 Squadron RAF. The other 5 crew members were attached to 27 Operational Training Unit RAF.
The crew members of LP 437 were:
Sergeant Earl Hume Beatson (435557) (Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Ray Kethel Bolger (430243) (Navigator)
Flight Sergeant Jack James Manners (436249) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant John Hilary Normyle (432627) (Air Bomber)
Sergeant Hugh Alexander Smyth (44993) (Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Frederick Luckman Stephens (424927) (Pilot)
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 Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/6/635