LEST WE FORGET

Sergeant Frederick Raymond KEYS

Service No: 401220
Born: Bundanoon NSW, 5 March 1918
Enlisted in the RAAF: 4 January 1941 (at Melbourne VIC)
Unit: No. 460 Squadron, RAF Breighton, Yorkshire
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 460 Squadron Halifax aircraft DT481), Lincolnshire, 19 September 1942, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Binbrook (St Mary) Churchyard, Lincolnshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Frederick and Jane Ann Keys, of Albury, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Albury NSW
Remembered: Panel 107, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT

Halifax DT481 based at RAF Breighton was detailed on 19 September 1942 to carry out an air firing exercise, but to make a call first to the aerodrome at RAF Binbrook. The aircraft overshot the aerodrome on its first approach, and when it overshot again on the second approach, smoke was pouring from the starboard outer engine which had failed and caught fire. At 1030 hours while making a gentle turn to the left at 800 feet the aircraft stalled, then spun and crashed. All the crew members were killed.

The crew members of DT481 were:

Sergeant Arthur Joseph Betteridge (1138925) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Sergeant Frank Elliott Bishop (416113) (Front Gunner)
Flying Officer Harry Sutton Brander (403658) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Corporal William John Ronald Hazelton (22126) (Fitter 2A)
Sergeant Frederick Raymond Keys (401220) (Bomb Aimer)
Flight Sergeant Allan Ralph Morant (400931) (Navigator)
Flight Sergeant Sidney Arthur Solomons (403079) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant James Thomas Sutton (404860) (Rear 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 Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/132/219

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