LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Robert Nason NEILL
Service No: 404255
Born: Roma QLD, 21 December 1916
Enlisted in the RAAF: 19 July 1940
Unit: No. 258 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 258 Squadron Hurricane aircraft V7711), Colombo, 5 April 1942, Aged 25 Years
Buried: Colombo (Kanatte) General Cemetery, Sri Lanka
CWGC Additional Information: Son of John and Annie Mary Neill, of Mosman, New South Wales, Australia. His brother Gunner William Bager Neill (QX16927) also fell.
Roll of Honour: Surat QLD
Remembered: Panel 127, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 5 April 1942 Hurricane V7711 flown by Flying Officer Neill took off flying in a formation led by Flight Lieutenant Sharp. The formation was engaged and split up soon after take-off in order to attack enemy aircraft which were attacking base. No information is available as to the final action in which Flying Officer Neill was killed, but his body was found by Army officials and his aircraft had crashed near Colombo.
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, 163/46/35