LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Brian O’CONNELL
Service No: 437192
Born: Mount Gambier SA, 1 December 1923
Enlisted in the RAAF: 7November 1942
Unit: No. 5 Squadron, Torokina, Bougainville Island
Died: Air Operations: Bougainville and New Britain (No. 5 Squadron Wirraway aircraft A20-476), Bougainville Island, 6 July 1945, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of William Aloysius and Nora Ellen O’Connell; husband of Dorothy G. O’Connell, of Woodville, South Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 9, Port Moresby Memorial, PNG
Remembered: Panel 99, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
On 6 July 1945, the starboard wing tip of Wirraway A20-476 struck the surface of the sea during a low level turn and the pilot, Flying Officer O’Connell, was killed in the resulting crash. The crew members of A20-476 were:
Pilot Officer John Richmond Hatfield (25350) (Navigator) Injured: Discharged from the RAAF: 12 December 1945
Flying Officer Brian O’Connell (437192) (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, 195
Bibliography:
Wilson, S. (Stewart) Wirraway, Boomerang and CA-15 in Australian Service, Aerospace Publications Weston Creek ACT 2611, 1991