LEST WE FORGET
Flight Lieutenant Douglas Hardy BYERLEY
Service No: 405439
Born: Brisbane QLD, 8 December 1916
Enlisted in the RAAF: 29 March 1941
Unit: General Reconnaissance School, Bairnsdale VIC
Died: Aircraft Accident (General Reconnaissance School Anson aircraft W2244), off Evans Head NSW, 7 April 1945, Aged 28 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Mr. and Mrs. A. C. Byerley, of Hamilton, Queensland
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 5, Sydney Memorial, Rookwood NSW
Remembered: Panel 115, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 7 April 1945, Anson W2244 crashed off the New South Wales coast between Williamtown and Evans Head and all on board lost their lives. The aircraft was on a navigation exercise to seaward from Bairnsdale to Richmond, Williamstown, Evans Head and Lowood. It had taken off from Williamtown and had encountered a severe cyclonic disturbance near Evans Head and failed to reach its destination. On 17 April two Mae Wests from the aircraft were found on the beach near Crescent Head in position 31.12S 152.59E.
The crew members of W2244 were:
Flight Lieutenant Alex Allan Buck (2592) (Pilot)
Flight Lieutenant Francis John Butcher (253245) (First Navigator)
Flight Lieutenant Douglas Hardy Byerley (405439) (Supernumerary)
Aircraftwoman Margaret Jones Carey (105088) (Supernumerary)
Flight Lieutenant Thomas Archibald Meikeljohn (405635) (Second Navigator)
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, 166/6/1062