LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Reginald Joseph HAIRE
Service No: 411316
Born: Gunnedah NSW, 26 April 1918
Enlisted in the RAAF: 28 April 1941
Unit: No. 1 Overseas Aircraft Delivery Unit (RAF), RAF Station Portreath
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 1 Overseas Aircraft Delivery Unit Hudson aircraft FK522), Cornwall, 6 December 1942, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Charles and Catherine Haire, of Harparary, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Narrabri NSW
Remembered: Panel 111, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey UK
Remembered: Panel 123, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Narrabri RSL War Memorial, Narrabri NSW
At night on 6 December 1942 Hudson FK522 left Portreath in transit to Gibraltar. The aircraft took off climbing in the normal direction over the sea, and it then started a turn to port gradually, but lost height until it hit cliffs and exploded on impact. Craftsman Atkinson’s body was later recovered, and it was recorded that the four missing crew members had lost their lives at sea.
The crew members of FK522 were:
Craftsman George Atkinson (4693135) (British Army) (Supernumerary) Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Remains recovered
Flying Officer Robert Joseph Gunn (J/9847) (RCAF)
Flight Sergeant Reginald Joseph Haire (411316) (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Sergeant John Walter Cameron Kidd (913390) (RAFVR)
Sergeant Philip Henry Moulton (656489) (RAF)
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, 163/120/708
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line