LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer William Thomas McCORMACK
Service No: 410251
Born: St Kilda VIC, 1 March 1914
Enlisted in the RAAF: 5 December 1941
Unit: No. 21 Operational Training Unit (RAF), RAF Station Moreton-in-Marsh
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 21 Operational Training Unit Anson aircraft DG985), near Moreton-in-Marsh, 5 May 1943, Aged 29 Years
Buried: Moreton-in-Marsh New Cemetery, Gloucestershire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Maj. William Thomas Bartholomew McCormack and Margaret Aitken McCormack of Elwood, Victoria, Australia
Roll of Honour: St Kilda VIC
Remembered: Panel 126, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On the 5 May 1943, Anson DG985 took off from RAF Moreton-in-Marsh, tasked for a night navigation training exercise. The aircraft encountered low cloud and at 0220 hours the aircraft flew into the side of a hill near Blockley, Gloucestershire, about three miles west north west of the airfield. The crew of six was killed.
The crew members of DG985 were:
Sergeant Lionel Frederick Evans (1412730) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Pilot Officer Albert Reginald Fox (141853) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Flying Officer William Thomas McCormack (410251) (Navigator)
Flight Sergeant Stanley Ryder Mosey (632033) (RAF) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Sidney Alfred Payne (1376668) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Sergeant Wilfred James Shirley (1602329) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Owing to the possibility of low cloud, the aircraft was recalled and the message was received. The position signalled by the aircraft indicated it was returning and had overshot the aerodrome. A signal was sent to the aircraft redirecting a diversion to Pershore, but the aircraft had crashed while the signal was being sent. It seems likely that the Pilot came down in an endeavour to see the ground, and the aircraft struck some trees on top of a hill 300 feet above the aerodrome.
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, 166/26/127