LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer William Hesketh JONES
Service No: 407062
Born: St Peters SA, 28 May 1919
Enlisted in the RAAF: 27 May 1940
Unit: No. 2 Service Flying Training School, Wagga Wagga NSW
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 2 Service Flying Training School Wirraway aircraft A20-14), Junee NSW, 29 December 1941, Aged 22 Years
Buried: North Road Anglican Cemetery, Nailsworth SA
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Edward Whitlock Jones and Jean Jones, of Hectorville
Roll of Honour: Adelaide SA
Remembered: Panel 116, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
At 1100 hours on 29 December 1941, Wirraway aircraft A20-14 and A20-288 collided during the break-up of unauthorised formation flying. The crew members of A20-288 parachuted to safety while A20-14 crashed killing both its crew members.
The crew members of A20-14 were:
Pilot Officer William Hesketh Jones (407062) (Instructor)
Leading Aircraftman Vivian Dare Vickers (414106) (Student)
The crew members of A20-288 were:
Leading Aircraftman James Keyte Oliver (414075) (Student) Slightly injured, Discharged from the RAAF: 30 November 1945
Flight Sergeant Ben Weston (406087) (Instructor) Uninjured, Discharged from the RAAF: 7 November 1945
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 A9845, 173
Bibliography:
Wilson, S. (Stewart) Wirraway, Boomerang and CA-15 in Australian Service, Aerospace Publications Weston Creek ACT 2611, 1991