LEST WE FORGET
Warrant Officer Christopher William CRAWLEY
Service No: 412403
Born: Junee NSW, 2 October 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 19 July 1941
Unit: No. 111 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Air Operations (No. 111 Squadron Spitfire aircraft EN147), Italy, 14 December 1943, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Cassino War Cemetery, Italy
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Alphonse Hilary Crawley and Ethel Margaret Crawley, of Junee, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Junee NSW
Remembered: Panel 120, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Commonwealth Bank of Australia Honour Rolls, Sydney NSW
Remembered: Junee Cenotaph, Junee NSW
At about 0945 hours on 14 December 1943 Spitfire EN147 was one of a formation of eight aircraft from the squadron detailed to patrol at a height of 12,000 feet. When about 3miles north west of Cassino Italy, fifteen enemy aircraft were encountered and were attacked by four of the Squadron aircraft. In the ensuing encounter EN147 was seen pursuing one of the enemy aircraft, an FW190, 5 miles north west of Aquino aerodrome at a height of 2000 feet. Nothing further was seen of EN147 which failed to return from the mission and it was later learned that Warrant Officer Crawley had been killed.
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, 166/8/324
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line