LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Alexander Edward MANNERS
Service No: 415161
Born: Perth WA, 1 January 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 21 July 1941
Unit: No. 46 Squadron (RAF), Idku, Egypt (Detachment Cyprus)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 46 Squadron Beaufighter aircraft 8673), Cyprus, 31 August 1943, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Nicosia War Cemetery, Cyprus
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Alexander Gibson Manners and Myrtle Amelia Manners, of Maylands, Western Australia.
Roll of Honour: Perth WA
Remembered: Panel 126, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Cenotaph Undercroft, State War Memorial, Kings Park WA
Remembered: Honour Avenues, Kings Park WA
Beaufighter 8673 took off on 31st August 1943 on a day non-operational exercise and return to base at 1000 hours. The accident occurred 3 minutes after take off from the aerodrome at Nicosia on an authorised flight and in perfect weather. An engine is suspected to have failed when the aircraft was at very low level, and the aircraft crashed into a hill and burnt. There were three fatalities.
Those on board 8673 were:
Flight Sergeant Cyril Harold Baldwin (922345) (RAFVR) (Navigator/Wireless Operator)
Corporal H A Buckels (1180767) (RAFVR) (Supernumerary) Injured
Leading Aircraftman William Spurrier Gardiner (1010170) (RAFVR) (Supernumerary)
Flight Sergeant Alexander Edward Manners (415161) (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 Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/27/217