LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer Bruce Ian Hamilton HICKS
Service No: 417078
Born: Moonta SA, 9 March 1916
Enlisted in the RAAF: 6 December 1941
Unit: No. 98 Squadron (RAF), B58 Landing Ground, Melsbroek, Belgium
Died: Air Operations (No. 98 Squadron Mitchell aircraft FW224), Belgium, 2 February 1945, Aged 28 Years
Buried: Brussels Town Cemetery, Evere, Noord-Brabant, Belgium
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Joseph Edmond and Edith Alice Hicks, of Moonta, South Australia.
Roll of Honour: Moonta SA
Remembered: Panel 123, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
Mitchell FW224 took off on 2nd February 1945 detailed to attack a target in Holland. The aircraft slid out of the formation emitting grey smoke, and the pilot called for homings between 1000 and 1004 hours and was given a course of 205 degrees. The aircraft failed to maintain height on one engine and struck the ground. It crashed 2 miles south of Malines, Belgium, and all the crew members were killed.
The crew members of FW224 were:
Flight Sergeant Albert Barker (1589347) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Pilot Officer Edward Anthony Bogan (424320) (Wireless Operator Air)
Pilot Officer Bruce Ian Hamilton Hicks (417078) (Pilot and Aircraft Captain)
Pilot Officer George Arthur Winter (191807) (RAF) (Navigator Bomb Aimer)
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, 166/17/986