LEST WE FORGET
Leading Aircraftman Christopher Cyril HILES
Service No: 37672
Born: Merriwa NSW, 25 January 1905
Enlisted in the RAAF: 1 July 1941
Unit: No. 6 Airfield Construction Squadron, Kiriwina Island PNG
Died: Ground Accident, Kiriwina Island, 23 August 1943, Aged 38 Years
Buried: Port Moresby (Bomana) War Cemetery PNG
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Christopher Calton Hiles and Mary Louisa Hiles; husband of Marcella Doris Ruth Hiles, of Liverpool, New South Wales
Roll of Honour: Denman NSW
Remembered: Panel 114, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 23 August 1943, Leading Aircraftman Hiles, a Driver Motor Transport, was operating a DC6 Bulldozer at the gravel pit on Kiriwina Island. At approximately 1030 hours while moving in the reverse direction, the bulldozer ran onto a portion of a bank of the gravel pit that sloped steeply and the bulldozer commenced to turn over on its side. He attempted to jump clear, but was struck on the back of the head by the cable bar of the bulldozer and was killed instantly.
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, 166/17/275