LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Laurence Peter KAYE
Service No: 62418
Born: Mosman NSW, 20 December 1923
Enlisted in the RAAF: 23 February 1942
Unit: No. 2 Operational Training Unit
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 2 Operational Training Unit Kittyhawk aircraft A29-165), near Mildura, 25 January 1945, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Mildura Public Cemetery, Victoria
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Clarence Oswald and Cora Kaye, of Sydney, New South Wales
Roll of Honour: Mosman NSW
Remembered: Panel 112, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: of Sydney World War II Roll of Honour, Camperdown NSW
On 25 January 1945, Kittyhawk A29-165 flown by Flight Sergeant Kaye was engaged in a section attack exercise. Flying at 6,000 feet, Flight Sergeant Kaye pressed home his rear quarter attack too close and the port wing of his aircraft struck Kittyhawk A29-148 being flown by Flying Officer Gale, an Instructor. The collision severely damaged A29-148 which although extensively damaged managed to fly back to base. A29-165 appeared to fall out of control and struck the ground almost vertically, 10 miles south west of Mildura aerodrome and Flight Sergeant Kaye was killed.
The Pilots were:
Flying Officer Ernest Leslie Gale (418381) (Pilot A29-148) Discharged from the RAAF: 26 October 1945
Flight Sergeant Laurence Peter Kaye (62418) (Pilot A29-165)
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, 166/22/26
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line