LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer Francis Clive GAHA
Service No: 420181
Born: Emmaville NSW, 26 February 1913
Enlisted in the RAAF: 11 October 1941
Unit: No. 36 Operational Training Unit (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 36 Operational Training Unit Hudson aircraft V9171), Nova Scotia, 18 March 1943, Aged 30 Years
Buried: Kingston St Lawrence Roman Catholic Cemetery, Nova Scotia
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Frank and Sarah Gaha; husband of Enid Jean Gaha, of Milson’s Point, New South Wales, Australia. B.A. (Sydney)
Roll of Honour: Sydney NSW
Remembered: Panel 133, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: University of Sydney World War 2 Roll of Honour, Camperdown NSW
On 18 March 1943, Hudson V9171 took off at 0930 hours detailed to carry out a low level bombing exercise on Berwick Range from 50 feet. At approximately 1015 hours the aircraft when turning on to the target was seen to strike trees and dive into the ground where it caught fire. Two of the crew were killed and two were injured.
The crew members of V9171 were:
Pilot Officer Harry Geoffrey Banks (980452) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Pilot Officer Francis Clive Gaha (420181) (Observer)
Sergeant Jack Moran (425188) (Wireless Air Gunner) Dangerously injured, Discharged from the RAAF: 5 March 1946
Sergeant Norman Norris Ryan (425364) (Wireless Air Gunner) Seriously injured, Discharged from the RAAF: 17 October 1945
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, 166/15/27
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line