LEST WE FORGET

Sergeant James Munro Mearns FRASER

Service No: 419177
Born: Brighton VIC, 25 April 1923
Enlisted in the RAAF: 17 July 1942
Unit: No. 14 Operational Training Unit (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 14 Operational Training Unit Wellington aircraft DV697), Leicestershire, 26 September 1943, Aged 20 Years
Buried: Oxford (Botley) Cemetery, Oxfordshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of James Hill Mearns Fraser and Clara Miller Fraser, of Gardenvale, Victoria, Australia
Roll of Honour: Brighton VIC
Remembered: Panel 122, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT

At 1504 hours on 26 September 1943 Wellington DV697 took off from RAF Station Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire, Satellite airfield detailed to carry out a training flight. When the port engine developed a fault, the aircraft returned to base and approached the runway from a downwind direction. Realizing his mistake, the pilot opened up to go round again but at 600 feet with the flaps and undercarriage fully extended, the bomber swung out of control and crashed at 1705 hours bursting into flames. All the crew members were killed.

The crew members of DV697 were:

Sergeant Ian Woodman Ferguson (1322786) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Sergeant James Munro Mearns Fraser (419177) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Pilot Officer Frank Preston Moorby (151848) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Flight Sergeant Jack William Woods (410584) (Pilot)

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, 166/14/100

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