LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Neil Earl PARKER
Service No: 429491
Born: Charters Towers QLD, 7 May 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 8 October 1922
Unit: No. 625 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Kelstern
Died: Air Operations: (No. 625 Squadron Lancaster aircraft LM317), France, 4 May 1944, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Poivres Churchyard, Aube, France
CWGC Additional Information: Son of William Thomas Parker and Annie Parker, of Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 128, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On the night of 3/4 May 1944, Lancaster LM317 took off from Kelstern detailed to attack the military camp at Mailly-le-Camp, France. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after rake off and it failed to return to base. The aircraft was shot down on its bombing run, and crashed at Poivres (Aube), 20 kms north north east of Arcis-sur-Aube, France. All the crew members were killed.
The crew members of LM317 were:
Flying Officer Robert Edward Haddock (135016) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Sergeant James Francis Moran (1344096) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Raymond Henri Martin (1270135) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Neil Earl Parker (429491) (Rear Gunner)
Warrant Officer John Albert Reynolds (R/161588) (RCAF) (Air Bomber)
Warrant Officer Charles David Angelo Short (175260) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Sergeant John Albert Williams (1866421) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
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, 166/32/372