LEST WE FORGET
Flight Lieutenant Andrew Clark McLEAN
Service No: 2764
Born: Richmond VIC, 21 February 1916
Enlisted in the RAAF: 1 June 1936
Unit: No. 1 Operational Training Unit
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 1 Operational Training Unit Beaufort aircraft A9-7), near Bairnsdale VIC, 16 April 1944, Aged 28 Years
Buried: Sale War Cemetery VIC
CWGC Additional Information: Son of John Montgomery McLean and Mary Bonner McLean; husband of Lesley Joyce McLean, of Croydon, New South Wales
Roll of Honour: Melbourne VIC
Remembered: Panel 112, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
During a non-operational low level formation flying exercise on 16 April 1944 A9-7 EST crashed at Forge Creek, 2 miles west of Eagle Point in Bairnsdale at 1115 hours. The aircraft was flying at approximately 300 feet when the starboard engine apparently failed. The starboard wing was seen to drop and the pilot was unable to regain control before the aircraft crashed. Flight Lieutenant McLean was killed in the crash and Sergeant Pritchard was seriously injured.
The crew members of A9-7 were:
Flight Lieutenant Andrew Clark McLean (2764) (Pilot)
Sergeant Walter Ralph Pritchard (431753) (Wireless Air Gunner) Seriously injured, Discharged from the RAAF: 22 May 1946
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/26/584