LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Michael LARKIN
Service No: 412977
Born: Bondi NSW, 30 October 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 15 August 1941
Unit: No. 1 Ferry Unit (RAF), RAF Station Pershore
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 1 Ferry Unit Oxford aircraft V3768), Worcestershire, 13 January 1945, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Bath (Haycombe) Cemetery, Somerset
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Daniel and Doris Rita Larkin, of Pagewood, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Sydney NSW
Remembered: Panel 125, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On the 13th January 1945, Oxford V3768 took off from Pershore detailed to carry out a non-operational GEE (hyberbolic radio navigation system) exercise flight. At about 1055 hours, the aircraft struck the north west side of Bredon Hill, near Eckinotch, Worcestershire, at a steep angle while flying in cloud, and all on board were killed. A Court of Inquiry into the accident found “it was an error of judgement by the pilot, in flying too low and descending through cloud without first ascertaining his direct position.”
The crew members of V3768 were:
Flying Officer Michael Larkin (412977) (Navigator)
Flight Lieutenant Ivor Reginald Sims DFM (120223) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Sergeant George William Stafford (643273) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
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, 166/24/655