LEST WE FORGET
Warrant Officer Kenneth DEAR
Service No: 412922
Born: Cootamundra NSW, 12 July 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 15 August 1941
Unit: No. 253 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No, 253 Squadron Spitfire aircraft JG130), Corsica, 16 April 1944, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Biguglia War Cemetery, Corsica, France
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Robert Gelling Dear and Gertrude Maude Dear, of Cootamundra, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Cootamundra NSW
Remembered: Panel 121, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Cootamundra War Memorial Cootamundra NSW
Remembered: Cootamundra Ex-Servicemen’s and Citizens Memorial Club Rolls of Honour, Cootamundra NSW
At 0840 hours on the 16 April 1944, Spitfire JG130 took off on a test flight, when the engine cut out on take-off. The aircraft crashed one mile west of Calvi, Corsica, and Warrant Officer Dear was 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, 166/9/293
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line