LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer William Ernest Lyall FOSTER
Service No: 443813
Born: Marrickville NSW, 15 May 1917
Enlisted in the RAAF: 23 February 1942 (at Melbourne VIC)
Unit: No. 8 Operational Training Unit
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 8 Operational Training Unit Boomerang aircraft A46-17), near Parkes, 29 May 1945, Aged 28 Years
Buried: Parkes General Cemetery, NSW
CWGC Additional Information: Son of William Ernest and Winifred Elizabeth Foster, of Sydney; husband of Rosemary Veronica Foster, of Roma, Queensland
Roll of Honour: Sydney NSW
Remembered: Panel 112, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Roll of Honour N.S.W. Police 1939-1945, Surry Hills NSW
Remembered: NSW Police Chapel War Memorial, Goulburn NSW
On 29 May 1945, Boomerang aircraft A46-17 and A46-82 collided in mid-air and the pilots were killed. Both Pilots were briefed to carry out a track reconnaissance from Dilga to Gumble to Manildra and a tactical reconnaissance of dispersed targets at No. 8 OTU Gunnery Range. Pilot Officer Weatherson was authorised to use this route and Pilot Officer Foster to use the route but in reverse order. Both were authorised to take off at 1130 hours but there was a 10 minute delay in starting up A46-17 flown by Pilot Officer Foster. The Accident Investigation assumed that due to the time lag, the aircraft met over the gunnery range and while both pilots were making a reconnaissance of the targets at the range, they collided and both aircraft burst into flames on impact and crashed.
The Pilots were:
Pilot Officer William Ernest Lyall Foster (443813) (Pilot A46-17)
Pilot Officer Charles Neil Weatherson (431676) (Pilot A46-82)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/14/432; A9845, 175
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line