LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Alexander Charles McNAB
Service No: 405420
Born: Brisbane QLD, 27 July 1918
Enlisted in the RAAF: 29 March 1941
Unit: No. 452 Squadron
Died: Air Operations: (No. 452 Squadron Spitfire aircraft BS162), Darwin Harbour NT, 2 May 1943, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Dudley Alexander McNab and Jean Christina McNab; husband of Margaret Enid McNab, of Peachester, Queensland. B.A., LL.B.
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 7, Northern Territory Memorial, Adelaide River NT
Remembered: Panel 105, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 2 May 1943, Spitfire BS162 was at readiness when the Squadron was ordered to scramble, and was airborne from Strauss Field, Northern Territory at 0945 hours. BS162 was White 4, with Flight Lieutenant Edward Smith Hall (403013) (Discharged: 3 November 1944) Leader of the section of four. No. 452 Squadron aircraft rendezvoused with Nos. 457 54 (RAF) Squadron aircraft at 10,000 feet over Hughes. The Wing then continued to climb to 16,000 feet, and continued climbing.
An enemy formation of 21 bombers and 25 to 30 fighters were sighted at 27,000 feet. No. 54 Squadron attacked first and then No. 457 Squadron, then No. 452 Squadron from 7/8,000 feet above the fighters. At the conclusion of the engagement BS162 joined up with two aircraft from another Squadron. BS162 appeared undamaged and flying steadily. BS162 tried communicating but its radio was unintelligible and Flying Officer McNab was pointing downwards. The aircraft then went into a spiral dive and flattened out above the water, but overturned and crashed in the Darwin Harbour area. Searches found no trace of Flying Officer McNab or the aircraft.
Flying Officer Gordon Lindsay Charles Gifford (402740) (No. 457 Squadron) was also killed in the battle.
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, 166/26/106; A9845,273