LEST WE FORGET
Aircraftman Class 1 William Henry BRAY
Service No: 141632
Born: Port Pirie SA, 29 March 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 23 November 1943
Unit: No. 15 Squadron, Menangle NSW
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 15 Squadron Beaufort aircraft A9-550), Menangle, 29 March 1944, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Camden War Cemetery, NSW
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Charles Alfred and Margaret Bray, of Port Pirie, South Australia
Roll of Honour: Port Pirie SA
Remembered: Panel 101, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
Beaufort A9-550 crashed just after takeoff at Menangle on 29 March 1944, killing all five RAAF members on board. Those members were:
Aircraftman Class 1 William Henry Bray (141632) (Supernumerary)
Flying Officer Ronald William Durrant (422555) (Observer)
Flight Sergeant Rex Allan Charles Hoscher (412535) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Harry Byron Johnston (420024) (Pilot)
Flying Officer Howard Douglas Wheller (426408) (Wireless Air Gunner)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
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, 166/6/459
Bibliography:
Wilson, S. (Stewart) Beaufort, Beaufighter and Mosquito in Australian Service, Aerospace Publications Weston Creek ACT 2611, 1990