LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Ronald Reginald OELRICH MID
Service No: 402875
Born: Sydney NSW, 7 February 1918
Enlisted in the RAAF: 11 November 1940
Unit: No. 453 Squadron, Sungai Patani, Malaya
Awarded a Mentioned in Despatches (MID)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 21 Squadron Buffalo aircraft AN 201), Alor Star Road, Malaya, 14 December 1941, Aged 23 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Reginald Theodore and Violet Marietta Oelrich; husband of Helen Frances Oelrich, of Waverton, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Sydney NSW
Remembered: Column 412, Singapore Memorial, Singapore
Remembered: Panel 105, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Next day (14 December) four Buffaloes of No. 453 Squadron led by one from No. 21 Squadron, flown by Flight Lieutenant White (573), attacked Japanese transport columns moving down the roads from the north Three enemy dive bombers intercepted and White, who was last seen attacking one of them from the rear, is believed to have been killed by the enemy rear-gunner’s fire. Another of the Buffalo pilots, Sergeant Oelrich (402875), was heavily attacked before he could gain height and was killed when his aircraft was shot down. Sergeant Seagoe (1) had one shoulder shattered by an explosive bullet fired from the ground, but with the other two surviving pilots succeeded in returning to Ipoh from their costly operation.
(1) Sergeant (later Flight Lieutenant) Geoffrey Ernest Goldfinch Seagoe (402883) was discharged from the RAAF on 25 September 1945.
Extract from Gillison, D.N. (Douglas Napier) (254475) Royal Australian Air Force 1939-1942, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1962 – Page 257
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 A705, 163/148/179
Bibliography:
Bennett, J. (John William) Defeat to Victory: No. 453 Squadron RAAF, RAAF Museum Point Cook VIC 3029, 1994
Hall, E.R. (Eldred Rayner) (O3341) Glory in Chaos, Sembawang Association West Coburg VIC, 1989
Ilbery, P.L.T. (Peter Leslie Thomas) (422957) Hatching an Air Force: 2SFTS, 5SFTS, 1BFTS Uranquinty and Wagga Wagga, Banner Books Maryborough QLD 4650, 2002