LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Frederick John CLERKE
Service No: 411483
Born: Artarmon NSW, 24 January 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 24 May 1941
Unit: No. 500 Squadron (RAF), Bone, Algeria
Died: Air Operations (No. 500 Squadron Hudson aircraft FW667), Western Mediterranean, 2 September 1943, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Frederick James Garnsey Clerke and Vera Marie Clerke, of Sidney, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 11, Column 1, Malta Memorial, Malta
Remembered: Panel 120, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 2015 hours on 2 September 1943 Hudson FW667 took off from Bone on a night operational cross over anti-submarine patrol, and was expected to return to base at 0200 hours on 3 September 1943. As the aircraft had not landed by 0220 hours an endeavour was made to obtain wireless contact but without success. Aircraft in the area on escort duty were diverted to search, and air sea rescue sweeps were carried out at dawn, but with no result. The aircraft and its crew are recorded as missing lost at sea.
The crew members of FW667 were:
Flying Officer Fredrick John Clerke (411483) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Cecil Golby (656364) (RAF) (Navigator)
Flight Sergeant Charles Salisbury (934481) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Pilot Officer Russel Creth Sullivan (J/18470) (RCAF) (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
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, 166/7/187