LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Edward Keith HENDER
Service No: 407855
Born: Mount Barker SA, 12 February 1911
Enlisted in the RAAF: 1 February 1941
Unit: No. 21 Ferry Control Unit (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 21 Ferry Control Unit Mosquito aircraft HP882), Jodhpur State, India, 31 July 1944, Aged 33 Years
Buried: Delhi War Cemetery, India
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Edward Job and Eliza Hender, of North Walkerville, South Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 123, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
On 31 July 1944, Mosquito HP882 was flying in convoy with another Mosquito on a transfer flight from No. 21 Ferry Control Unit to No. 308 Maintenance Unit. They commenced to ascend and entered cloud between 100 and 200 feet above ground level. It was considered possible that HP882 entered the slipstream of the other Mosquito, and the pilot lost control and was unable to recover before it hit the ground. HP882 crashed near the Juna Village, Jasai, Jodhpur State and the two crew members on board were killed.
The crew members of HP882 were:
Sergeant James Eric Brewer (1581036) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Flying Officer Edward Keith Hender (407855) (Pilot)
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 Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/17/692
Bibliography:
Gaston, Bruce DFC (406646), Harry Horner DFC OAM (406595), Raymond Storer (406666) (Editors), Aircrew for the Duration: of and by members of RAAF EATS Courses 10, 11, 12 & 13, Gaston Horner and Storer, Nedlands WA, 1990