LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Brian COLLINS
Service No: 433089
Born: Roseville NSW, 9 January 1925
Enlisted in the RAAF: 25 February 1943
Unit: No. 5 Operational Training Unit, RAAF Williamtown, NSW
Died: Aircraft Accident, (No. 5 Operational Training Unit Mosquito aircraft A52-88), Williamtown area, 28 June 1945, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Newcastle (Sandgate) War Cemetery, NSW
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Edmond Henry and May Collins, of Collaroy.
Roll of Honour: Collaroy NSW
Remembered: Panel 5, Sydney Memorial, Rookwood NSW
Remembered: Panel 112, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Manly ANZAC War Memorial, Manly NSW
On 28 June 1945, Mosquito A52-88 spun during a climbing turn to the right during bombing practice at Cemetery Range NSW and crashed into the sea. An underwater search could not locate the wreckage.
The crew members of A52-88 were:
Flight Sergeant Brian Collins (433089) (Second Pilot)
Warrant Officer Neville William Duffield (427617) (Pilot)
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 A9845, 152
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line
Bibliography:
Vincent, D. (David) Mosquito Monograph: A history of Mosquitoes in Australia and RAAF operations, David Vincent Highbury SA 5089, 1982
Wilson, S. (Stewart) Beaufort, Beaufighter and Mosquito in Australian Service, Aerospace Publications Weston Creek ACT 2611, 1990