LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Frederick James MATTHEWS
Service No: 408859
Born: Ouyen VIC, 9 January 1917
Enlisted in the RAAF: 20 June 1941
Unit: No. 27 Operational Training Unit (RAF), RAF Lichfield, Staffordshire
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 27 Operational Training Unit Wellington aircraft HE708), Cheshire, 3 August 1943, Aged 26 Years
Buried: Chester (Blacon) Cemetery, Cheshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Frederick James Matthews and Minnie Matthews; husband of Elsie Catherine Matthews of Albury, New South Wales, Australia.
Roll of Honour: Albury NSW
Remembered: Panel 127, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Mathoura War Memorial, Mathoura NSW
On the night of 3 August 1943, Wellington HE708 took off from RAF Lichfield for a night navigation training exercise. At approximately 2350 hours, while flying at 13,000 feet, the front oil retainer on the port engine ran dry and the unit failed. Soon afterwards the starboard engine lost power believed due to icing, and the aircraft crashed into Walton Road, Sale, Cheshire and caught fire. Flight Sergeant Thompson was killed in the accident, and Flight Sergeant Matthews died of his injuries. The other four crew members were injured.
The crew members of HE708 were:
Flight Sergeant Keith Gavin Forbes (421261) (Wireless Air Gunner) Injured, Discharged from the RAAF: 8 August 1945
Pilot Officer Clive Prosdocimi Luther (424546) (Air Gunner) Injured, Killed on Air Operations: 16 December 1943
Flight Sergeant Frederick James Matthews (408859) (Pilot)
Sergeant John Emmanuel McCarthy (1836186) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner) Injured, Killed on Air Operations: 21 February 1944
Flight Sergeant Edward Sergeant Newell (410253) (Navigator) Injured, Killed on Air Operations: 18 March 1944
Flight Sergeant Eric Claude Thompson (415909) (Air Bomber)
This name and service
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, 166/27/189
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line