LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Gordon Norman NINNESS
Service No: 423173
Born: Cessnock NSW, 5 December 1923
Enlisted in the RAAF: 20 June 1942
Unit: No. 2 Bombing and Gunnery School, Port Pirie SA
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 2 Bombing and Gunnery School Battle aircraft L5654), Port Pirie, 27 August 1943, Aged 19 Years
Buried: Port Pirie General Cemetery, SA
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Albert William and Mary May Ninness, of Concord, New South Wales
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 116, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Concord War Memorial, Concord NSW
During gunnery practice on 27 August 1943, at 1430 hours Fairey Battle aircraft K9380 and L5654 collided in mid-air 16 kms west of Port Pirie. All six members on both aircraft were killed. Those members were:
Battle L5654
Sergeant Gordon Norman Ninness (423173) (Instructor Pilot)
Aircraftman Class 1 Cyril Albert Venables (122157) (Armament Assistant)
Battle K9380
Leading Aircraftman John Douglas Gardiner (432548) (Trainee Air Gunner)
Leading Aircraftman Lewis Grant (419616) (Trainee Air Gunner)
Leading Aircraftman Reginald David Griffith (432506) (Trainee Air Gunner)
Sergeant Robert Henry Johns (428024) (Instructor Pilot)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A9845, 233
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line