LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Stanley Wheatley GREENWOOD
Service No: 400345
Born: Hessle, England, 7 September 1912
Enlisted in the RAAF: 18 August 1940 (at Melbourne VIC)
Unit: No. 256 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 256 Squadron Defiant aircraft V1116), Lancashire, 7 February 1942, Aged 29 Years
Buried: Haltemprice (Hessle) Cemetery, Yorkshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of George Albert and Harriett Greenwood, of Hessle Hill, Yorkshire
Roll of Honour: Albury NSW
Remembered: Panel 123, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 1630 hours on 7 February 1942, Defiant V1116 crashed at the Lytham Pier, Lancashire, and the crew members were killed. The aircraft was carrying out an exercise with the local Anti- Aircraft Defence Batteries.
The crew members of V1116 were:
Sergeant Stanley Wheatley Greenwood (400345) (Air Gunner)
Pilot Officer William John Paterson Olney (112509) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
A Court of Inquiry found that: “in our opinion the cause of the accident was an error of judgement by the Pilot when carrying out a steep turn at low altitude, which was indirect contravention of flying Standing Orders and a specific verbal instruction by an officer authorising the flight.” The Group Commander No 9 Group stated: “I agree the accident resulted from disobedience of orders on the part of the Pilot, who was experienced and well qualified to carry out the exercise. The Squadron will not be permitted to take part in such exercises in the future.”
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, 166/118/275