LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer Edwin Anthony FAHEY
Service No: 413713
Born: Granville NSW, 15 February 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 12 September 1941
Unit: No. 117 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 117 Squadron Dakota aircraft KN602), Myanmar, 27 June 1945, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Patrick Francis and Gladys Mary Fahey, of Granville, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Granville NSW
Remembered: Column 457, Singapore Memorial, Singapore
Remembered: Panel 122, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 0626 hours on 27 June 1945 Dakota KN602 took off from Kyaukpyu, Burma, to return to base along with three other Squadron aircraft. These three other aircraft turned back to Akyab, Burma, at 0742 hours after reaching position 20.55N 09212E. KN602 was last seen by the crew of one of the other aircraft just out from the shore and heading towards the coast at a 45 degrees angle. When the three turned back to Akyab the weather was atrocious with exceptionally low cloud. No details of load or passengers (if any) could be given by Flying Control Kyaukpyu. The Captain of KN602 was an experienced pilot with 454 hours to his credit on his present tour in the theatre.
The crew members of KN602 were:
Flight Sergeant Richard Beart Ball (1320457) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Sergeant Arthur Walvin Cooper (1819819) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator/Air)
Pilot Officer Edwin Anthony Fahey (413713) (Navigator)
Flying Officer Antony Charles Kent (179998) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Flying Officer Harold Matthew O’Reilly (J/43273) (RCAF) (Wireless Operator)
Two British Soldiers (Captain William Finney (260943) and Private William Edward Parsons (14773834)) were likely to have been on board but is not possible to determine the names of the members of the Indian Army whose names are not on the Casualty File or from CWGC On-Line Records.
In 1946 it was reported that “the aircraft crashed 7 miles south west of Teknauf, Tek Peninsula 20.55N 092.20E. The wreck was discovered near the mouth of a river at Teknauf, Burma. The aircraft was on a transport flight between Ramree, Burma, and Chittagong. There were five members crew on board together with eight passengers (Indian Army and British Army personnel).” Seven unidentified bodies were discovered near the wreck. It was believed that the remains of the others on board were carried off in the river.
On Line sources report 22 casualties resulting from this accident.
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, 166/13/507