LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Frederick William GISSING
Service No: 425637
Born: Sydney NSW, 31 May 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 25 April 1942 (at Brisbane QLD)
Unit: No. 104 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 104 Squadron Wellington aircraft HE344), Foggia aerodrome, 16 April 1944, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Bari War Cemetery, Italy
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Sydney William and Ella Gissing, of Clayfield, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Brisbane QLD
Remembered: Panel 122, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
When returning from operations on the night of 15/16th April 1944 Wellington HE344 collided in mid-air with No. 104 Squadron Wellington LP146 when circling the Foggia Main aerodrome and HE344 crashed two miles to the west of the aerodrome. All the crew members were killed as were all five of the RAF crew aboard LP146.
The crew members of HE344 were:
Sergeant John Walter Robert Andre Bunyan (1392128) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator Air)
Sergeant Robert David Cunningham (1561939) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Flight Sergeant Edwin Norton Emberson (419883) (Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Frederick William Gissing (425637) (Pilot)
Sergeant George Brian Hall (1435459) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Those killed on LP146 were:
Sergeant Frank Ashbee (960386) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Sergeant John Stuart Beeley (1579482) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Vivian Raymund Chadwick (1578279) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Sergeant Donald Joy Corlyon (1005441) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Sergeant John William Henry Rimmer (632547) (RAF) (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, 166/15/219