LEST WE FORGET

Leading Aircraftman Oliver James NICHOLS

Service No: 14236
Born: Casino NSW, 13 October 1914
Enlisted in the RAAF: 26 March 1940
Unit: No. 3 Service Flying Training School (RCAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 3 Service Flying Training School aircraft), Alberta, 22 February 1942, Aged 27 Years
Buried: Calgary (Burnsland) Cemetery, Alberta
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Oliver James Nichols and Emily Nichols; husband of Hilary Eileen Nichols, of Rose Bay, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Rose Bay NSW
Remembered: Panel 133, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT

On 22 February 1942, a No. 3 Service Flying Training School aircraft took off at 1500 hours detailed to carry out a target assessment at Lake McGregor, Alberta. The aircraft was in the process of letting down from 6,000 feet when it dived straight into the ground from a considerable altitude. The aircraft crashed at 1615 hours 3.5 miles east of Calgary Municipal Airport and the three pilots on board were killed. The accident was apparently caused by the occupants losing consciousness owing to the presence of carbon monoxide inside the cabin, and as a result the Pilots slumped forward on the control column causing the aircraft to dive.

The crew members were:

Leading Aircraftman Oliver James Nichols (14236) (Student Pilot, supernumerary)
Leading Aircraftman Frederick George Pike (411639) (Student Pilot)
Sergeant Harold Ernest Pitt (R/68214) (RCAF) (Instructor 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 Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/151/72

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