LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant John Hedgley LEWIS
Service No: 423142
Born: Broken Hill NSW, 27 January 1923
Enlisted in the RAAF: 20 June 1942
Unit: No. 3 (Observer) Advanced Flying Unit (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 3 (Observer) Advanced Flying Unit Anson aircraft N9855), North Wales, 8 November 1943, Aged 20 Years
Buried: Chester (Blacon) Cemetery, Cheshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of George Hedgely Lewis and Neta Dorothy Lewis, of Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Goulburn NSW
Remembered: Panel 125, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Goulburn-Mulwaree Honour Roll 1939-1972, Goulburn NSW
On 8 November 1943, Anson N9855 took off from RAF Halfpenny Green, near Stourbridge, Worcester, detailed to carry out a non-operational night navigation exercise. The aircraft crashed at 2030 hours when it hit a mountain near Lzandwreg, North Wales, and all the crew members were killed. The aircraft received a Wireless Telegraph go at 1941 hours and the last QDM (magnetic heading to base) showed the aircraft was on track. It was considered that the Pilot when off course did not keep to the minimum safety height, probably being over confident as visibility was clear for map reading. The summit of the hill was 3,426 feet above sea level and the aircraft was at 3,400 feet at the time of the crash.
The crew members of N9855 were:
Sergeant William Gavin (1522920) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Sergeant Ernest Andrew Hoagg (R/150850) (RCAF) (Pilot)
Sergeant John Hedgley Lewis (423142) (Navigator)
Sergeant Leslie John Hill (1603933) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Douglas John Roberts (1737592) (RAFVR)
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, 166/24/226
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line