LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Donald HOOD
Service No: 402559
Born: Auburn NSW, 6 November 1919
Enlisted in the RAAF: 16 September 1940
Unit: No. 37 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 37 Squadron Wellington aircraft LA994), Central Mediterranean, 8 February 1943, Aged 23 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Robert and Bessie Hood, of Strathfield, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Strathfield NSW
Remembered: Column 278, Alamein Memorial, Egypt
Remembered: Panel 124, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Strathfield World War II Roll of Honour, Strathfield NSW
At 1710 hours on 8 February 1943 Wellington LA994 took off from Magrum North to attack Palermo. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take-off and it did not return to base. Following post war enquiries and investigations, it was recorded in 1948 that the missing crew members had lost their lives at sea.
The crew members of LA994 were:
Sergeant Irwin Fowlds Bailey (412785) (RNZAF) (Second Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Donald Hood (402559) (Navigator)
Sergeant Roland Moorin (1054968) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Sergeant Tom Penrose (997260) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Sergeant Edgar Alexander Rolfe (1262070) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Sergeant Hew Russell Stevenson (778496) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
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, 166/1811/35
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line