LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Edward Francis MURPHY
Service No: 401457
Born: Hamilton VIC, 25 December 1917
Enlisted in the RAAF: 3 February 1941
Unit: No. 460 Squadron, RAF Station Breighton, Yorkshire
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 460 Squadron Lancaster aircraft W4864), Shropshire, 3 March 1943, Aged 25 Years
Buried: Shrewsbury General Cemetery, Shropshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Edward William and Fanny Charlotte Murphy, of Somerville, Victoria, Australia
Roll of Honour: Sunshine VIC
Remembered: Panel 108, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Lancaster W 4864 took off from RAF Breighton on a cross country training flight including bombing practice on the night of 2/3rd March 1943. The aircraft encountered bad weather and at 0012 hours on 3 March crashed one mile west of Shawbury, Shropshire. The aircraft hit a tree on high ground while making a circuit preparatory to landing. All the crew members were killed.
The crew members of W4864 were:
Sergeant Peter Frederick Bacon (1392379) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant Edgar Claude Fulton (411890) (Pilot)
Sergeant Ross Clive Graham (411312) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Sergeant Roderick Watson Kerr (979213) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Sergeant Thomas Patrick Gore Milledy (1321984) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Flight Sergeant Edward Francis Murphy (401457) (Bomb Aimer)
Sergeant Ronald Oldfield (1438969) (RAFVR) (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 A9301, 401457
Bibliography:
Firkins, P. C. (Peter Charles) (441386) Strike and Return, Westward Ho Publishing City Beach WA, 1985