LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Richard Lyle KILLEN
Service No: 402661
Born: Forbes NSW, 30 May 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 18 September 1940
Unit: No. 20 Operational Training Unit (RAF), RAF Station Lossiemouth
Died: Aircraft accident (No. 20 Operational Training Unit Wellington aircraft R1622), Lossiemouth, 23 August 1941, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Kiltearn Parish Churchyard, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Edward Cecil Lyle Killen and Bessie Marie Killen, of Benerembah, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Carrathool NSW
Remembered: Panel 125, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Griffith Cenotaph, Griffith NSW
On 23 August 1941, Wellington R1622 took off from Lossiemouth detailed to carry out local night flying practice, but due to incorrect flap settings, the aircraft failed to climb. Having grazed the top of a hangar, which took away the pitot head, the aircraft was ditched at approximately 0105 hours roughly four miles out in the Moray Firth. Two of the crew members were killed and two were injured.
The crew members of R1622 were:
Sergeant Trevor Horace Bagnall (40640) (RNZAF) (Pilot) Injured
Sergeant Richard Lyle Killen (402661) (Second Pilot)
Sergeant R F Lawrence (RAF) Injured
Sergeant Alan Thompson (1379144) (RAFVR) (Air 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 Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/133/69
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line