LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer James Patrick DIVERSI
Service No: 23376
Born: Winton QLD, 10 July 1916
Enlisted in the RAAF: 16 August 1940
Unit: No. 98 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Dunsfold
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 98 Squadron Mitchell aircraft FL700), near Dunsfold, 20 April 1944, Aged 27 Years
Buried: Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Michael Boland Diversi and Mary Diversi, of Wavell Heights, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Brisbane QLD
Remembered: Panel 121, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Just after take-off on 20 April 1944 Mitchell FL700 crashed while doing a left hand turn about two miles from the Dunsfold aerodrome. The aircraft was the last aircraft in a box of six to take off on an operational flight. All the crew members were killed.
The crew members of FL700 were:
Sergeant Geoffrey Aldridge (1462926) (RAFVR) (Navigator Bomb Aimer)
Pilot Officer Geoffrey Richard Davis (175518) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Flying Officer James Patrick Diversi (23376) (Wireless Operator Air)
Sergeant Thomas Shehan (631927) (RAF) (Air 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 Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/9/297