LEST WE FORGET
Leading Aircraftman Colin Alfred COLES
Service No: 404953
Born: Brisbane QLD, 28 March 1919
Enlisted in the RAAF: 5 January 1941
Unit: No. 5 Bombing and Gunnery School (RCAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 5 Bombing and Gunnery School Fairey Battle aircraft 2068), Saskatchewan, 1 December 1941, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Humboldt Municipal Cemetery, Saskatchewan
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Alfred and Johnina Coles, of Greenslopes, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Brisbane QLD
Remembered: Panel 133, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On the 1 December 1941, Fairey Battle 2068 was engaged in carrying out a routine gunnery exercise on splash targets in Range No 2. The aircraft was seen to turn away from the targets and then suddenly at about 1515 hours, crashing into the ice on the lake about half a mile from the shoreline. Two of the crew were killed and Leading Aircraftman Crothers died of his injuries.
The crew members of Battle 2068 were:
Leading Aircraftman Colin Alfred Coles (404953) (Trainee Pilot)
Sergeant Joseph Leandre Gilles Cote (R/56362) (RCAF) (Pilot)
Leading Aircraftman Ronald Kenneth Crothers (411126) (Trainee Air Gunner) Fatally injured
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, 163/98/379