LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Rex Clifton LAMBERT
Service No: 403272
Born: Rockhampton QLD, 25 January 1914
Enlisted in the RAAF: 5 January 1941 (at Sydney NSW)
Unit: Air Defence Unit (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (Air Defence Unit Blenheim aircraft BA162), Nigeria, 20 October 1942, Aged 28 Years
Buried: Kano Township Christian Cemetery, Nigeria
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Walter Leopold and Ruby Gertrude Evelyn Lambert, of Bairnsdale, Victoria, Australia
Roll of Honour: Sydney NSW
Remembered: Panel 125, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On a non-operational daytime flight on 20 October 1942 Blenheim BA162 was detailed to carry out authorised low flying and a ‘shoot up’ of ground troops. During the flight the aircraft hit a tree and control of the aircraft was lost and crashed. The Pilot was sent at the request of No 216 Group to take Control Officers over the route. He was not a very experienced Pilot and had no training in this sort of work. The aircraft crashed at Kemo-Peura road, Kano, and all on board the aircraft were killed.
The crew members of BA162 were:
Flight Sergeant Rex Clifton Lambert (403272) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Edgar Neve (413112) (RNZAF) (Pilot)
Lieutenant Arthur Hurst Waddington (218985) (British Army, 13th Brigade Reconnaissance Squadron, Hampshire Regiment) (Supernumerary)
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, 163/136/225