LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer Phillip Joseph LESTER
Service No: 10373
Born: Melbourne VIC, 6 March 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 23 May 1940
Unit: No. 82 Squadron
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 82 Squadron Mustang aircraft A69-785), near Bofu, Japan, 19 March 1947, Aged 26 Years
Buried: Yokohama War Cemetery, Japan
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Harris and Gertrude Lester, of North Carlton, Victoria, Australia
Roll of Honour: Melbourne VIC
Remembered: Panel 104, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 19 March 1947, Mustang A69-785 flown by Pilot Officer Lester crashed during individual flying practice eight minutes after taking off from Bofu, Japan. The aircraft was seen to disintegrate while pulling out of a dive.
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, 166/24/20; A9845, 127; A705, 32/18/578