LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Cecil Roland FRIZZELL
Service No: 426572
Born: Toowoomba QLD, 12 May 1923
Enlisted in the RAAF: 18 July 1942
Unit: No. 467 Squadron, RAF Station Waddington, Lincolnshire
Died: Injuries from Aircraft Accident: (No. 467 Squadron Lancaster aircraft JB140, 4 December 1943), Lincolnshire, 5 December 1943, Aged 20 Years
Buried: Cambridge City Cemetery, Cambridgeshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of John Roland Hyland Frizzell and Ursula Marie Frizzell, of South Brook, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Pittsworth QLD
Remembered: Panel 110, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Lancaster JB140 was one of eleven Squadron aircraft detailed to bomb Leipzig on the night of 3/4th December 1943. The bomb load 1 x 4000 lb (pound) (1,800 kg) bomb, 56 x 30 lb (14 kg) and 1080 x 4 lb (2 kg) incendiaries. JB140 took off from RAF Waddington at 0016 hours on 4 December, but the aircraft crashed on take off when its two port engines cut out. Most of the crew escaped with minor injuries, but the Rear Gunner (Flight Sergeant Frizzell) suffered bad injuries and was rushed to the Rauceby Hospital.
The crew members of JB140 were:
Flight Sergeant Kenneth Nigel Bishop Davies (411293) (Bomb Aimer) Minor injuries, Killed on Air Operations: 6 January 1944
Flight Sergeant Cecil Roland Frizzell (426572) (Rear Gunner) Fatally injured
Flight Sergeant Eric Albert Joyce (410496) (Navigator) Minor injuries, Killed on Air Operations: 6 January 1944
Flight Sergeant Robert Henry Keating (429461) (Mid Upper Gunner) Minor injuries, Killed on Air Operations: 6 January 1944
Sergeant W King (RAF) (Flight Engineer) Minor injuries
Flying Officer Colin Irwin Reynolds (415276) (Pilot) Minor injuries, Killed on Air Operations: 6 January 1944
Flight Sergeant Henry Morton Vellenoweth (410494) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner) Minor injuries, Killed on Air Operations: 6 January 1944
A Ground Crew member, Flight Sergeant Laurence Maurice Parker (9359) (Fitter IIE), was struck by the aircraft and killed in the accident. He was a foundation member of the Squadron and very popular with his fellow men. A second ground crew member, Sergeant Hoffa (RAF), is believed to have been injured.
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 Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/14/135