LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Walter Maxwell MOON
Service No: 429096
Born: Broken Hill NSW, 10 August 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 23 October 1942
Unit: No. 1653 Heavy Conversion Unit (RAF), RAF North Luffenham, Rutland
Died: Air Operations (No. 1653 Heavy Conversion Unit Lancaster aircraft NE132), Snowdonia, 6 February 1945, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Walter Henry and Thelma Louisa Moon, of Strathfield, New South Wales, Australia.
Roll of Honour: Broken Hill NSW
Remembered: Panel 283, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey UK
Remembered: Panel 127, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Lancaster NE132 took off on 6 February 1945 from RAF North Luffenham on a night training cross country flight, and crashed at 0225 hours near Llanbedr, North Wales. The aircraft entered a cumulonimbus cloud, iced up rapidly, and dived out of control, coming apart as it fell. Debris was scattered over a wide area, with a considerable concentration being found near the summit ridge of Rhinog Fawr above the Afon Artro valley in Snowdonia. At 0102 hours the aircraft sent a position signal 5015N 0608W. At 0340 hours with nothing further heard, Group Operations was requested to take action. North West Filter No 10 Group later reported a crash and fire at 0225 hours in VJ 1048 (map ref.) near Llanbedr in Wales. Police reported from Dyffrey that a burst of flame was seen in the air about 0225 hours with light fragments falling. Fragments of an aircraft and an airman’s glove were found in the vicinity.
The crew members of NE132 were:
Flying Officer David Henry Robert Evans (427898) (Pilot)
Sergeant Arthur David Gash (1449054) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
Sergeant George Edward William Hodge (516781) (RAF) (Flight Engineer)
Flying Officer Maxwell Walter Moon (429096) (Navigator)
Sergeant Harold Nielsen (2235169) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Sergeant Alfred Ernest Oliff (1893257) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Sergeant Charles William Souden (1583954) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
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, 166/28/512