LEST WE FORGET

Flight Sergeant James Watkins DOUGLAS

Service No: 424566
Born: Strathfield NSW, 14 July 1924
Enlisted in the RAAF: 12 September 1942
Unit: No. 625 Squadron (RAF), RAF Kelstern, Lincolnshire
Died: Air Operations: (No. 625 Squadron Lancaster aircraft LM512), France, 12 September 1944, Aged 20 Years
Buried: Sessenheim Communal Cemetery, Bas-Rhin, France
CWGC Additional Information: Son of James Watkins Douglas and Sarah Elizabeth Douglas, of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Roll of Honour: Strathfield NSW
Remembered: Panel 121, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Strathfield World War II Roll of Honour, Strathfield NSW

On the night of 12/13th September 1944, Lancaster LM512 took off from RAF Kelstern, detailed to bomb Frankfurt, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base. A Missing Research and Enquiry team later reported: “LM 512 collided in the air with No. 622 Squadron Lancaster aircraft NF 695 (Flying Officer John Robert Umphelby Jamieson (424417) (Navigator)) at 2250 hours. Both aircraft exploded in the air, and crashed on the west bank of the Rhine near the village of Stattmatten, 4 kms south west of Roschwog, (Alsace). Both crews totalling 15 members were killed.

The crew members of LM512 were:

Flight Sergeant Richard Edward Leslie Askie (1399198) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Sergeant Robert Grainger Barker (2220930) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Flying Officer Howard Norman Cornish (417807) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant James Watkins Douglas (424566) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Ronald George Evans (1581757) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Sergeant Arthur Bryant O’Connor (1629068) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
Sergeant Charles Herbert Ross (1877036) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Pilot Officer David Samuel Tointon (177849) (RAFVR) (Second Pilot)

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 A9310, 424566
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line

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