LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Ian Stuart GIBSON
Service No: 409065
Born: Oakleigh VIC, 17 February 1910
Enlisted in the RAAF: 20 July 1941
Unit: No. 179 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 179 Squadron Wellington aircraft HX773), near Portreath, 15 March 1943, Aged 33 Years
Buried: Illogan (St Illogan) Churchyard, Redruth Cornwall
CWGC Additional Information: Son of David and Francis Gertrude Gibson, of Mentone, Victoria, Australia
Roll of Honour: Mentone VIC
Remembered: Panel 122, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
While in transit from RAF Station Portreath to Gibraltar on 15 March 1943, Wellington HX73 crashed at 0227 hours one mile east of Portreath aerodrome. The aircraft failed to gain height after take-off and flew into the ground. All the crew members were killed.
The crew members of HX773 were:
Sergeant Ian Stuart Gibson (409065) (Navigator Bomb Aimer)
Flying Officer Follett Keith Major (403222) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Donald Leo McDonald (405598) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant William Pettigrew (405602) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Reginald Arnold Powell (412733) (RNZAF) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Hugh Miller Williamson (973896) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
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, 166/15/25