LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer Reginald William HOPKINS
Service No: 404502
Born: Bundaberg QLD, 13 October 1918
Enlisted in the RAAF: 13 September 1940
Unit: No. 5 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 5 Operational Training Unit Beaufort aircraft N1044), Devon, 1 December 1941, Aged 23 Years
Buried: Barnstaple Cemetery, Devon
CWGC Additional Information: Son of William Tate Hopkins and Gertrude Hopkins, of South Kalkie, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Rockhampton QLD
Remembered: Panel 124, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 2207 hours at night of 1 December 1941 Beaufort N1044 crashed into high ground when descending through cloud at Exford, Devon. Three of the crew members were killed and one dangerously injured.
The crew members of N1044 were:
Sergeant Gerald Boyle (979835) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Pilot Officer Reginald William Hopkins (404502) (Pilot)
Pilot Officer Raphael Masters (109057) (RAFVR) (Observer)
Sergeant Robert Archibald Smart (1325468) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner) Dangerously injured, Died: 3 December 1941
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, 163/36/120