LEST WE FORGET
Leading Aircraftman Cedric Neville JONES
Service No: 425858
Born: Toowoomba QLD, 6 January 1924
Enlisted in the RAAF: 21 May 1942
Unit: No. 8 Service Flying Training School, Bundaberg QLD
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 8 Service Flying Training School Anson aircraft W1945), near Bundaberg, 26 July 1943, Aged 19 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Edward John and Stella Lamington Jones, of Bambaroo, Queensland
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 7, Sydney Memorial, Rookwood NSW
Remembered: Panel 116, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 1145 hours on 26 July 1943, Anson W1945 crashed eight miles south south east of Elliott’s
Heads, Queensland, and the crew was killed. The aircraft collided with Anson W1588 during a non-operational formation flying exercise at a height of 4,000 feet. W1588 was recovered to Bundaberg with a damaged fuselage. Three aircraft participated in the exercise, each crewed by two trainee pilots, and all were required to change seats at the end of the first hour. The starboard wing of W1945 struck the fuselage of W1588 just below and to the rear of the gun turret. W1945 was leading the formation and W1588 was in the No. 2 position. It was considered that the accident was due to disobedience of orders and/or lack of vigilance.
The crew members of W1945 were:
Leading Aircraftman Cedric Neville Jones (425858) (Trainee Pilot)
Leading Aircraftman Kenneth Hall Smith (434033) (Trainee Pilot)
The crew members of W1588 were:
Leading Aircraftman Albert George Field (425925) (Trainee Pilot) Uninjured, Discharged from the RAAF: 11 January 1946
Leading Aircraftman Miguel Louis Perez (432010) (Trainee Pilot) Uninjured, Killed on Air Operations: 6 January 1945
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, 166/21/50; A9845, 100