LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Cecil Tom ENRIGHT
Service No: 404312
Born: Charleville QLD, 23 November 1916
Enlisted in the RAAF: 16 August 1940
Unit: No. 215 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident: (No. 215 Squadron Wellington aircraft HE126), Jessore, 8 August 1943, Aged 26 Years
Buried: Chittagong War Cemetery, Bangladesh
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Leslie Charles and Ada Mary Enright, of Toowong, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Indooroopilly QLD
Remembered: Panel 121, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 0745 hours on 8 August 1943 Wellington HE126 took off from Jessore detailed to carry out an intruder patrol off the Arakan coast. After becoming airborne the aircraft commenced a circuit of the aerodrome, and the aircraft was observed at a height of about 3/400 feet approaching the runway at right angles in a slight dive and making an unusual screaming noise. It levelled out about 300 feet when the screaming noise stopped. After passing over the runway, the aircraft turned to port, the screaming noise started again. The aircraft seemed to go into a steeper turn until the plane was almost vertical, when it crashed into trees and burnt on impact. All the crew members were killed.
The crew members of HE126 were:
Pilot Officer Eric Claude Dowling (53729) (RAF) (Pilot)
Flying Officer Cecil Tom Enright (404312) (Second Pilot)
Warrant Officer II Francis William Holcombe (R/66066) (RCAF) (Wireless Air Gunner/Front Gunner)
Flight Sergeant James Hyde (611210) (RAF) (Rear Gunner)
Sergeant Neville Arthur James Ovenden (1331911) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Edward Ronald Ellis Thomas (1410623) (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, 163/107/70