LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Alfred Cyrus HALL
Service No: 413990
Born: Inverell NSW, 18 March 1923
Enlisted in the RAAF: 10 October 1941
Unit: No. 8 Operational Training Unit (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 8 Operational Training Unit Spitfire aircraft BP419), North Sea, 31 December 1943, Aged 20 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Sydney John and Sylvia Hall; husband of Olive Vera Hall, of Cricklewood, Middlesex
Roll of Honour: Inverell NSW
Remembered: Panel 192, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey UK
Remembered: Panel 123, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 31 December 1943 Spitfire BP419 was detailed to carry out a high level photo reconnaissance training flight above 25,000 feet from Dyce to East Anglia and return. The route was from RAF Dyce to Hexham – Kings Lynn – Leeds – Dyce. The aircraft took off at 1030 hours and should have returned by early afternoon, but it failed to return to base from this exercise. Three other aircraft on the same exercise were all airborne 15 minutes after BP419. The weather forecast was good, but it deteriorated rapidly after take off. Two of the aircraft returned after covering the route, and they struck ten tenths cloud with few breaks. The third aircraft landed at Wood Vale due to the poor weather. Following post war enquiries and investigations, it was recorded in 1949 that Flight Sergeant Hall had no known grave.
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, 166/17/420