LEST WE FORGET
Leading Aircraftman Gordon George PARKIN MID
Service No: 10158
Born: Shepparton VIC, 25 February 1913
Enlisted in the RAAF: 15 April 1940
Unit: No. 458 Squadron, Bone
Awarded the Mentioned in Despatches (MID)
Died: Aircraft Accident: (No. 458 Squadron Wellington aircraft JA104), near Malta, 13 February 1944, Aged 30 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Samuel Terence and Mary Ann Parkin; husband of Lois Cavell Parkin, of Rushworth, Victoria, Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 16, Column 2, Malta Memorial, Malta
Remembered: Panel 106, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Wellington JA104 took off on 13 February 1944 detailed to carry out an anti-sub patrol during a flight from RAF Bone to Ghissonaccia, Corsica. At about midday the aircraft lost air speed at a rapid rate and no effort the pilot made could keep it from losing height. From 1500 feet the aircraft came down in 3 minutes, ditching 15 miles off the south west coast of Corsica in Pinarello Bay and sank immediately. Of the crew of 6 and 3 ground crew on board, three survived the ditching – Flying Officer Male (Captain), Flight Sergeant Baines (Rear Gunner) and Sergeant Percy (Fitter 2E).
After about an hour in the dinghy they were picked up by a French Walrus but the load was too heavy for take off. The Walrus taxied towards shore and the survivors were transferred to a dinghy rowed out by two Americans. They were put ashore near Solenzara in Corsica and were conveyed by ambulance to the 3rd American Dispensary at Ghissonaccia village. It was considered later that an accumulation of ice on the wings was a likely cause of the crash.
The crew members of JA104 were:
Sergeant Thomas Adair (1531154) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator Air)
Flight Sergeant Henry William Baines (420911) (Rear Gunner) Discharged from the RAAF: 25 May 1945
Flight Sergeant Harry William Brandon (1388140) (RAFVR) (Second Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Sydney Neam Campbell (412335) (Wireless Operator Air)
Flight Sergeant William McIver Mounsell Lipscomb (421740) (Navigator)
Flying Officer Robert Henry Male (414714) (Pilot) Survived, Discharged from the RAAF: 1 July 1947
Ground crew members:
Corporal Kieran Kenny (9352) (Fitter II Engines)
Leading Aircraftman Gordon George Parkin MID (10158) (Fitter II Engines)
Sergeant Cecil Francis Arty Percy (5220) (Fitter II Engines) Survived, Discharged from the RAAF: 30 October 1945
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 Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/32/303
Bibliography:
Alexander, P. (Peter) We Find and Destroy: history of No. 458 Squadron, The 458 Squadron Council, 1959