LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Robert Fordell HENDERSON
Service No: 405192
Born: Brisbane QLD, 8 September 1919
Enlisted in the RAAF: 2 February 1941
Unit: Delivery Flight 474, RAF Station Takoradi, Ghana
Died: Aircraft Accident (Blenheim aircraft BA597), Nigeria, 19 August 1942, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Oshogbo Cemetery, Nigeria
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Robert and Jessie Blanche Henderson, of Toowong, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Brisbane QLD
Remembered: Panel 123, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 19 August 1942, Blenheim BA597 took off from Lagos as one of a formation of aircraft on delivery flight No 474. The Leader of the formation noticed that a line squall was running roughly from a northwest direction to south east, and moving westward. When approaching Oshogbo, the Leader decided to return to Lagos and signalled the necessary instructions. All the other aircraft responded except BA597, which headed straight for the squall and disappeared in the cloud. The wreck and the remains of the crew were later discovered seven miles north of Ogbodisho. It was considered that the cause of the accident was loss of control of the aircraft in cloud.
The crew members of BA597 were:
Flight Sergeant Frederick Britain Borrett (402104) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant John Alexander Bowditch (403253) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Robert Fordell Henderson (405192) (Observer)
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, 163/121/208