LEST WE FORGET

Flight Sergeant Donald Murray GIBSON

Service No: 413982
Born: Walcha NSW, 15 September 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 10 October 1941
Unit: No. 5 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 5 Operational Training Unit Beaufort aircraft EL131), Northern Ireland, 15 May 1943, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Belfast City Cemetery, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Cleveland Julian Vincent and Ella Hope Gibson, of Walcha, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Walcha NSW
Remembered: Panel 122, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Walcha War Memorial Cenotaph, Walcha NSW
Remembered: NSW Department of Education Teachers and Trainees WWII Honour Roll, Sydney NSW

On 15 May 1943 Beaufort EL131 was detailed to carry out a daytime non-operational training exercise No 2. The aircraft crashed at 0920 hours 1 mile north of Shields Corner, The Cheegh, Castle Dawson, Londonderry, and all five on board were killed.

The crew members of EL131 were:

Sergeant Arthur Reginald Davis (414730) (RNZAF) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Keith Thomas Devery (416683) (RNZAF) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Donald Murray Gibson (413982) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Charles Loxley Harris (411702) (Navigator Bomb Aimer)
Aircraftman Class II Dennis Henry O’Brien (1800327) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator)

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, 166/15/50
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line

Bibliography:

Ilbery, P.L.T. (Peter Leslie Thomas) (422957) Hatching an Air Force: 2SFTS, 5SFTS, 1BFTS Uranquinty and Wagga Wagga, Banner Books Maryborough QLD 4650, 2002

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