LEST WE FORGET
Leading Aircraftman Ronald Charles ORPEN
Service No: 128679
Born: Coburg VIC, 4 November 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 12 April 1943
Unit: No. 452 Squadron
Died: Ground Accident, Morotai, 15 January 1945, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Ambon War Cemetery, Indonesia
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Henry Richard and Edith Rosina Orpen, of Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
Roll of Honour: Ballarat VIC
Remembered: Panel 105, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 15 January 1945, Leading Aircraftman Orpen, an Armourer, was accidentally killed when he was engaged in constructing a boat out of an aircraft belly tank for welfare purposes. The belly tank exploded while he was attempting to clear the fumes.
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, 166/31/300