LEST WE FORGET
Warrant Officer Andrew Stanley DICKSON
Service No: 425834
Born: Brisbane QLD, 7 January 1924
Enlisted in the RAAF: 21 May 1942
Unit: No. 153 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Scampton
Died: Air Operations: (No. 153 Squadron Lancaster aircraft RA544), North West Europe, 4 April 1945, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Andrew Simon and Matilda Dickson, of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 283, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey UK
Remembered: Panel 121, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Lancaster RA544 took off from Scampton on 4 April 1945, being one of five squadron aircraft to carry out a mine laying operation at night in enemy waters in the “Silverthorn” area. No ground fire was experienced but enemy fighters were present. One unidentified aircraft was seen to be hit and disappeared in flames in cloud. Nothing was heard from RA544 after take-off and it did not return to base. Following post war enquiries and investigations, the crew are listed as missing on the
Runneymede Memorial and have no known grave.
The crew members of RA544 were:
Warrant Officer Andrew Stanley Dickson (425834) (Wireless Operator Air)
Flight Sergeant William Higgins (1497189) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Flight Sergeant Charles Madden (1365066) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Roy Neal (1358579) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
Wing Commander Francis Sidney Powley DFC AFC (39601) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Sergeant Charles Frank Sadler (1869776) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Flight Sergeant Leslie George Sims (1394295) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
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, 166/9/590