LEST WE FORGET

Pilot Officer Max Kiernan CUMMINGS

Service No: 408904
Born: Goulburn NSW, 1April 1913
Enlisted in the RAAF: 20 June 1941(at Melbourne VIC)
Unit: No. 83 Squadron (RAF), RAF Wyton, Cambridgeshire
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 83 Squadron Lancaster aircraft ED439), Lincolnshire, 18 June 1943, Aged 30 Years
Buried: Grantham Cemetery, Lincolnshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Edwin Joseph and Lizzie Florence Cummings; husband of Kathleen Helen Cummings, of Victor Harbour, South Australia
Roll of Honour: Victor Harbour SA
Remembered: Panel 121, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide

Lancaster ED439 took off from RAF Wyton at 1010 hours on 18th June 1943 to carry out a day practice bombing training exercise, but the aircraft did not carry out the detail. It dived out of cloud and struck a house at High Gate Farm in Swaton, 11 kms south east of Sleaford, Lincolnshire. All the nine on board the aircraft were killed

The crew members of ED439 were:

Corporal Thomas John Bond (1024724) (RAFVR) (Supernumerary)
Sergeant Harry William Cheshire (1336708) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Pilot Officer Max Kiernan Cummings (408904) (Pilot and Aircraft Captain)
Sergeant Henry Whitfield Luker (6756) (Flight Engineer)
Sergeant John Roughley (1431821) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Flight Sergeant Robert Allan Taylor (R/113958) (RCAF) (Rear Gunner)
Corporal Francis Neville Sloss (1544915) (RAFVR) (Supernumerary)
Sergeant Francis William Wilcox (537936) (RAF) (Navigator)
Sergeant Norman Woodcock (1588938) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper 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 Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/8/141

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