LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Louis Stephenson LAURITZ
Service No: 401450
Born: Melbourne VIC, 15 October 1914
Enlisted in the RAAF: 3 February 1941
Unit: No. 3 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 3 Operational Training Unit Wellington aircraft LB185), Caernarvonshire, 20 November 1943, Aged 29 Years
Buried: Chester (Blacon) Cemetery, Cheshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Louis Peter and Mary Carmela Lauritz, of South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, husband of Audrey Alleith Lauritz, of Elwood, Victoria
Roll of Honour: South Melbourne VIC
Remembered: Panel 125, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 2010 hours on 19 November 1943, Wellington LB185 took off to carry out non-operational night exercise No 3. Six signals were received from the aircraft when at 0133 hours on 20 November, the aircraft sent an ex Funsted and asked for a QDM (magnetic heading to base). Northing further was heard from the aircraft and it failed to return to base. The aircraft crashed at approximately 0200 hours near Blaneau Festing, Carnarvonshire.
The crew members of LB185 were:
Flight Sergeant Louis Stephenson Lauritz (401450) (Observer)
Sergeant F W Maskell (1393991) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner) Dangerously injured
Sergeant Herbert Beaumont Maxwell (1321385) (RAFVR) (Second Pilot)
Sergeant William Thomas Muir (1344303) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant A Sinclair (1340152) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner) Injured
Sergeant Morris Louis Wolman (1382185) (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, 166/24/231