LEST WE FORGET

Flight Sergeant Gerald Beaumont McSWEENEY

Service No: 425346
Born: Wowan QLD, 23 July 1917
Enlisted in the RAAF: 1 February 1942
Unit: No. 27 Operational Training Unit (RAF), RAF Lichfield, Staffordshire
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 27 Operational Training Unit Martinet aircraft HP384), Staffordshire, 5 June 1944, Aged 26 Years
Buried: Chester (Blacon) Cemetery, Cheshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Jeremiah Simon and Lily Marian McSweeney, of Holland Park, Queensland, Australia; husband of Mary Monica McSweeney, of Holland Park
Roll of Honour: Brisbane QLD
Remembered: Panel 126, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT

On the 5th June 1944, Martinet HP384 took off from RAF Lichfield for local flying including circuits and landings. Flight Sergeant McSweeney was making his first flight in a Martinet, though he was a fully qualified Wellington pilot. At 1610 hours the aircraft was seen to emerge from cloud in a spin, and without recovering, strike the ground. Both the crew members were killed.

The crew members of HP384 were:

Pilot Officer Allan Robert Duel (425623) (Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Gerald Beaumont McSweeney (425346) (Pilot)

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, 166/26/473

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