LEST WE FORGET

Flying Officer Roger Billingsley HITCHCOCK

Service No: 407714
Born: Sydney NSW, 2 May 1918
Enlisted in the RAAF: 4 January 1941 (at Adelaide SA)
Unit: No. 456 Squadron, RAF Middle Wallop, Hampshire
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 456 Squadron Magister I aircraft P2464), Wiltshire, 23 May 1943, Aged 25 Years
Buried: Over Wallop (St Peter) Churchyard, Hampshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of William James Hitchcock and Pauline Clare Hitchcock, of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 106, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide

On 23 May 1943, Magister P2464 crashed at Winterslow, Wiltshire, at about 1350 hours, during a non-operational local flight. The Pilot had been detailed to test the aircraft after a suspected drop in the oil pressure on a previous flight. At 1650 hours a message was received that the aircraft had crashed. It appeared that it had spun into the ground, and both the crew members were killed.

The crew members of P2464 were:

Flying Officer Roger Billingsley Hitchcock (407714) (Pilot)
Leading Aircraftman Humphrey Ronald Roberts (1148220) (RAFVR)

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 A705, 166/17/157

Bibliography:

Bennett, J. (John William) Fighter Nights: 456 Squadron RAAF, Banner Books Belconnen ACT 2617, 1995
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

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