LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Herbert Russell McMILLAN
Service No: 409574
Born: Beechworth VIC, 28 November 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 12 September 1941
Unit: No. 458 Squadron, operating from Luqa, Malta
Died: Air Operations: (No. 458 Squadron Wellington aircraft ‘K’), Malta, 17 April 1944, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Malta (Capuccini) Naval Cemetery, Malta
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Herbert Arthur and Gertrude Alice McMillan, of Thornbury, Victoria, Australia
Roll of Honour: Northcote VIC
Remembered: Panel 106, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
The Squadron Operation Records Book records the following “On 17 April 1944 a detachment of 10 aircraft was ordered by NACAF to operate from Luqa, Malta, under the control of No. 248 Wing. At 2300 hours on the 19th April 1944 Flying Officer McMillan in ‘K’ returning to Luqa from a convoy escort mission, crashed when landing on the east west runway and burst into flames. The aircraft was carrying depth charges. Four of the crew members were killed and two survived the crash but were severely burned.”
The crew members of ‘K’ were:
Flying Officer R Bullen (125303) (RAF) (Navigator) Severely burned
Warrant Officer Herwald Graham Clarke (412940) (Wireless Air Gunner) Severely burned, Discharged from the RAAF: 16 October 1945
Flight Sergeant Arthur John Huntley (410488) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flying Officer Herbert Russell McMillan (409574) (Pilot)
Warrant Officer John Michael Wagstaffe (1219231) (RAFVR) (Second Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Robert Henry Williamson (1252008) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
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 A 705, 166/26/429
Bibliography:
Alexander, P. (Peter) We Find and Destroy: history of No. 458 Squadron, The 458 Squadron Council, 1959