LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Clive Henry Charles FIETZ
Service No: 424169
Born: Temora NSW, 13 December 1918
Enlisted in the RAAF: 15 August 1942
Unit: No. 26 Operational Training Unit (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 26 Operational Training Unit Wellington aircraft X3790), Buckinghamshire, 7 August 1943, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Oxford (Botley) Cemetery, Oxfordshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of August Herman Fietz and Margaret Helen Fietz; husband of Irene Gladys Fietz, of Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Winslow, Buckinghamshire
Remembered: Panel 122, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Walla Walla War Memorial, Walla Walla NSW
Remembered: Railway Remembrance Wall, Central Station, Eveleigh Loco – Roll of Honour 1939 – 1945 Korea, Haymarket NSW
On 7 August 1943, Wellington X3790 took off from RAF Little Horwood for a night flying detail. At around 0255 hours, the aircraft approached the runway but was obliged to overshoot. While doing so, Sergeant Davies lost control and moments later his aircraft smashed into the High Street at Winslow, six miles south east of Buckingham, totally demolishing the Chandos Arms and nearby dwellings. The carnage was dreadful, for in addition to the four crew members killed no less than 13 civilians died.
The crew members of X3790 were:
Sergeant Wilfred Davies (1316984) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Sergeant Clive Henry Charles Fietz (424169) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant J Harrington (1319285) (RAFVR) (Navigator) Injured
Sergeant John Patrick Valentine McKeon (1382646) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant John York Sowter (1253037) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
The civilians killed were:
Mr Thomas Cox, Aged 54 Years
Mr Basil Burberrie Etheridge, Aged 39 Years
Mrs Annie Goldberg, Aged 66 Years
Mr Israel Goldberg, Aged 67 Years
Mrs Nora Hawkins, Aged 57 Years
Mr William Hawkins, Aged 57 Years
Mrs Lottie Hoberman, Aged 41 Years
Master Victor Hoberman, Aged 7 Years
Mrs Kathleen Susanne Mullis, Age unavailable
Mr Stephen Kirby Mullis, Aged 35 Years
Master Terence Mullis, Aged 10 Years
Mr Donald Paintin, Aged 18 Years
Mr Tom Paintin, Aged 55 Years
A report by an eyewitness Sergeant Hearne stated: “I was on duty in the ACF caravan on the night of 6-7th August 1943. At approx 0300 hours X3790 approached to land and almost after touching down, overshot, and appeared to be going around again. At 0305 I saw what looked to be a crashed aircraft in flames directly over Winslow. I reported this.”
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, 166/13/96
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line