LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Collin Royal BUNDARA
Service No: 419636
Born: Coburn VIC, 14 July 1918
Enlisted in the RAAF: 11 September 1942
Unit: No. 127 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Injuries from a Mine Detonation: Netherlands, 18 February 1945, Aged 26 Years
Buried: Bergen-Op-Zoom Canadian War Cemetery, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands
CWGC Additional Information: Son of John Collins Bundara and Stella Ann Elizabeth Bundara, of Middle Brighton, Victoria, Australia
Roll of Honour: Brighton VIC
Remembered: Panel 119, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Flight Sergeant Bundara (Pilot) stepped on an enemy mine on 17 February 1945 at Woensdrecht
Air Field, Netherlands, 15 miles north-west of Antwerp, Belgium. He was injured to the right foot and leg and was dangerously ill and he died of his injuries on 18 February 1945
In a letter from Squadron Leader Lister, Commanding Officer of No. 127 Squadron to Flight Sergeant Bundara’s parents dated 25 February 1945 he wrote: “your son’s death was a great shock to us all as he was a very popular member of the Squadron. The circumstances leading to the accident were most unfortunate and I am sorry to say due to his own fault. The aerodrome on which we were stationed was heavily mined by the Germans before they left although all roads were cleared by the Army the surrounding woods were not, and all personnel were warned to this effect. Another Sergeant Pilot (Simpson by name) who was with Colin tells me that Colin had been in the wood before and warned him about booby traps and after going a short way Simpson said it was foolish to go any further and advised going back which he did. Shortly after doing this he heard a bang and saw Colin coming after him with an injured right leg. He was admitted to an RAF Hospital and spent a restful night. I visited the hospital the next day and talked to the head surgeon who said that at six o’clock in the morning he was doing very well and everyone was hoping for a speedy recovery but at 1 o’clock he had a serious relapse and in spite of all efforts he failed to rally.”
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, 166/6/960