LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Howard Charles O’NEILL
Service No: 425205
Born: Cloncurry QLD, 11 May 1917
Enlisted in the RAAF: 31 January 1942
Unit: No. 158 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 158 Squadron Halifax aircraft LW246), Yorkshire, 14 September 1943, Aged 26 Years
Buried: Harrogate (Stonefall) Cemetery, Yorkshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Charles Howard and May O’Neill, of Normanton, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 128, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 14th September 1943 Halifax LW246 took off on a training exercise and crashed at Mill Farm, Fardon near Filey, Yorkshire. All on board the aircraft were killed. Sergeant Morse and Leading Aircraftman Perrin accompanied the crew to further their experience of flying.
The crew members of LW246 were:
Sergeant James Hunter (1568637) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Sergeant Donald Allen Lawson (1389676) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Sergeant Olive Mary Morse (2040538) (WAAF)
Sergeant Albert Thomas Nicholas (1316582) (RAFVR)
Flight Sergeant Howard Charles O’Neill (425205) (Mid Gunner)
Leading Aircraftman Arthur Nasmith Perrin (1049981) (RAFVR)
Sergeant John George Taylor (1028370) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Alexander Thompson (1515448) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Sergeant Ivor Raymond Trower-Foyan (990159) (RAFVR) (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, 166/31/104