LEST WE FORGET
Warrant Officer Faulkner Adrian Andrew ORMISTON
Service No: 412827
Born: Pymble NSW, 18 April 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 20 July 1941
Unit: No. 81 Operational Training Unit (RAF), RAF Station Ashbourne
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 81 Operational Training Unit Albermarle aircraft K160), Cheshire, 15 April 1944, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Chester (Blacon) Cemetery, Cheshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Faulkner Andrew and Valerie Bruce Ormiston, of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Canberra ACT
Remembered: Panel 128, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Knox Grammar School Old Boys’ War Memorial, Wahroonga NSW
During a non-operational training exercise on the 15 April 1944, Albermarle K160 crashed near Hartford Church, Cheshire. A wing tip of the aircraft struck the chimney stack of a house at 1517 hours, and four of the crew were killed and Sgt Ewen seriously injured.
The crew members of K160 were:
Flight Sergeant Robert Phillip Henry Brown (413556) (Pilot)
Sergeant John Crichton (1370281) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Sergeant Aubrey Gerald Crowe (1132028) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Ewen (1332214) (RAFVR) Seriously injured
Warrant Officer Faulkner Adrian Andrew Ormiston (412827) (Navigator Bomb Aimer)
A Court of Inquiry into the accident stated: “Flight Sergeant Brown was detailed to carry out local circuits and landings for three hours until1537 hours. At 1500 hours he took off for the last circuit and apparently proceeded to Hartford where the Wireless Air Gunner lived. From initial reports the aircraft was carrying out a shoot up and one wing struck the chimney of a house, causing the aircraft to crash only 200yards from the WAG’s house. The Group Captain RAF Ashbourne stated: “The Pilot was ordered to practice circuits and landings and apparently disobeyed orders and flew to Hartford village where he carried out a “shoot up””.
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, 166/31/177
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line