LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer Herbert Alexander Watson PARKINSON
Service No: 422259
Born: Katanning WA, 24 March 1924
Enlisted in the RAAF: 25 April 1942 (at Sydney NSW)
Unit: No. 467 Squadron, RAF Station Waddington, Lincolnshire
Died: Air Operations: (No. 467 Squadron Lancaster aircraft LM440), Yorkshire, 9 June 1944, Aged 20 Years
Buried: Harrogate (Stonefall) Cemetery, Yorkshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Archie Watson Parkinson and Estella Parkinson, of Castle Hill, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Castle Hill NSW
Remembered: Panel 111, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Of the RAAF squadrons, only Nos. 463 and 467 operated on 8th-9th June, when they provided 16 and 14 Lancasters respectively in a raid against railway yards at Rennes in Brittany. Weather was poor throughout the outward and return journey, and because of difficult landing conditions at Waddington aircraft of No. 467 were diverted to another landing field, but even there they had to circle for 45 minutes before visibility improved sufficiently for them to put down. Despite these adverse conditions, crews were confident that their bombing had been accurate, and this was confirmed by reconnaissance next morning when fires were still burning and craters were seen in the passenger station, maintenance sheds and goods yards.
Extract from Herington, J. (John) (406545) Air War Over Europe 1944-1945, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1963 – Page 132
Lancaster LM440 took off from RAF Waddington at 2301 hours on the night of 8/9th June 1944 to bomb railway facilities at Rennes, France. The bomb load was 1 x 4000 lb (pound) (1,800 kg) and 14 x 500 lb (225 kg) bombs. Fifteen aircraft from the Squadron took part in the mission and all returned. On their return all the Squadron aircraft were diverted to land at Catfoss. While circuiting
at Catfoss in extremely bad weather, LM440 hit a tree outside the aerodrome and crashed at 0357 hours on the 9th June. The aircraft crashed at Arnold Carr, 6 kms east north east of Beverley, Yorkshire. Four of the crew members were killed in the crash and the Pilot and Flight Engineer who were seriously injured died later in the day.
The crew members of LM440 were:
Sergeant Thomas Collin (1822863) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer) Fatally injured, Died 9 June 1944
Flight Sergeant Richard Graham Cottew (426547) (Bomb Aimer)
Flight Sergeant Sidney William Merrin (426132) (Navigator)
Flight Sergeant Nisson Mossenson (427532) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner) Injured, Discharged from the RAAF: 30 November 1945
Pilot Officer Herbert Alexander Watson Parkinson (422259) (Pilot) Fatally injured, Died: 9 June 1944
Sergeant Melrose Vance (1823455) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant Stanley Robert Ward (1812253) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
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, 166/32/403