LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Lessel John HAMPSTEAD
Service No: 421805
Born: South Killarney QLD, 13 February 1924
Enlisted in the RAAF: 28 March 1942 (at Sydney NSW)
Unit: No. 2 Bombing and Gunnery School, Port Pirie SA
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 2 Bombing and Gunnery School Battle aircraft L5640), Port Pirie, 20 May 1943, Aged 19 Years
Buried: Port Pirie General Cemetery, SA
CWGC Additional Information: Son of George Joseph and Amelia Maria Hampstead, of Grafton, New South Wales.
Roll of Honour: Grafton NSW
Remembered: Panel 116, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 0940 hours on 20 May 1943, Battle L5640 crashed at Port Pirie while towing a drogue and its crew members were killed. The cause of the accident is listed as “obscure”. The crew members were:
Leading Aircraftman Gordon Leslie Dore (46528) (Trainee Air Gunner)
Leading Aircraftman Aloysius Patrick Gilmore (116103) (Trainee Air Gunner)
Sergeant Lessel John Hampstead (421805) (Pilot)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A9845, 232