LEST WE FORGET

Flight Sergeant Arthur Douglas DREWE

Service No: 414474
Born: Mackay QLD, 29 May 1919
Enlisted in the RAAF: 11 October 1941
Unit: No. 150 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 150 Squadron Wellington aircraft HF593), Central Mediterranean, 26 August 1943, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Frank William and Mildred Elizabeth Jane Drewe, of North Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 11, Column 2, Malta Memorial, Malta
Remembered: Panel 121, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT

Wellington HF593 took off at 2058 hours on 26 August 1943 to attack the marshalling yards at Bagnoli, Italy. A distress message was received from the aircraft at 2314 hours from position 36.16N 124.18E, but nothing further was heard from the aircraft which did not return to base. Following post war enquiries and investigations, it was recorded in 1948 that the missing crew had lost their lives at sea.

The crew members of HF593 were:

Flight Sergeant Arthur Douglas Drewe (414474) (Pilot)
Sergeant Arthur Hollis Green (1132686) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant Arthur Henry Greenwood (1270218) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Sergeant Stanley George Hipperson (1390802) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Sergeant Richard Hughes (1217270) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)

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, 166/10/103

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