LEST WE FORGET

Flight Lieutenant Patrick Joseph McNULTY DFC

Service No: 426286
Born: Brisbane QLD, 19 November 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 19 June 1942
Unit: No. 466 Squadron, RAF Station Bassingbourn Hertfordshire
Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), 17 July 1945 (Citation Title: No. 466 Squadron)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 466 Squadron Liberator aircraft KN736), Hertfordshire, 18 September 1945, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Cambridge City Cemetery, Cambridgeshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Mr. and Mrs. J. J. McNulty, of Beenleigh, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 110, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT

Liberator KN736 was detailed on 18 September 1945 to carry out exercises (2 and 3 engine flying) overshoots and landings with Flight Lieutenant Spiller as instructor and Fight Lieutenant McNulty as pilot-under-instruction. The aircraft took off from RAF Bassingbourn, near Royston, Hertfordshire, at 1546 hours GMT. The flight was being carried out as part of a conversion programme to convert No. 466 Squadron crews from Halifax V1 aircraft to Liberators. In May 1945 the Squadron was transferred from RAF Bomber Command to RAF Transport Command.

An initial Report of the Flying Accident dated 20/9/45 stated: “LN736 had done three landings and after taking off for a fourth time at 1541 hours GMT it was heard that the aircraft had crashed six miles west north west of the aerodrome near Cockayne Hatley. The above two pilots were killed in the crash and their report is not available. The Second Pilot Flying Officer Doak is in hospital recovering from injuries. The causes for the crash are at present unknown and are to be investigated by a Court of Inquiry. But one thing is certain. Both 2 and 3 engine flying was being carried out at approximately 1,000 feet contrary to Pilots order No 16 Para 2. The aircraft could not apparently maintain height and before the two engines could be unfeathered the aircraft hit a small copse and crashed.”

The crew members of KN736 were:

Sergeant R V Carling (1803034) (RAFVR) (Instructor Flight Engineer) Injured
Flying Officer Francis George Doak (419770) (Second Pilot) Injured, Discharged from the RAAF: 7 March 1946
Flying Officer Noel Perin Gilmour (428664) (Navigator) Injured, Discharged from the RAAF: 8 May 1946
Flight Lieutenant Patrick Joseph McNulty DFC (426286) (Pilot under Instruction)
Warrant Officer James Raymond Potter (434008) (Wireless Operator)
Flight Lieutenant Edward John James Spiller DFC (147197) (RAFVR) (Instructor Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Delbert Roy Turner (1863014) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer) Fatally injured: Died 18 September 1944

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, 166/26/1125

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