LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Alfred Charles Kingsley PARSONS
Service No: 402576
Born: Dubbo NSW, 5 May 1914
Enlisted in the RAAF: 16 September 1940
Unit: No. 104 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Driffield
Died: Injuries from an Aircraft Accident (loss of No. 104 Squadron Wellington aircraft W5491 on 9 January 1942), Driffield, 19 January 1942, Aged 27 Years
Buried: Driffield Cemetery, Yorkshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of George William and Frances Lillian Parsons
Roll of Honour: Nyngan NSW
Remembered: Panel 128, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Nyngan and Districts War Memorial, Nyngan NSW
At 1150 hours on 9 January 1942 Wellington W5491 took off from Driffield on a training exercise but crashed almost immediately due to incorrect flap settings. Two crew members were killed and the other four were injured, one fatally.
The crew members of W5491 were:
Sergeant A J Brown (1377772) (RAFVR) Injured
Flight Sergeant Sidney Reginald Bult (553823) (RAF) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Alfred Charles Kingsley Parsons (402576) Fatally injured: Died 19 January 1942
Sergeant H Phillips (1199548) (RAFVR) Injured
Sergeant William Kent Sloggart (400604) (Pilot)
Flying Officer V E Tapp (C/4507) (RCAF) Injured
A report on the accident stated “the aircraft took off normally from its base and shortly after take-off it dived steeply but levelled out near the ground and on landing struck a hedge and bank. From evidence stated there are no material facts which show the causes leading up to the accident. The only outstanding feature is that the flaps were not raised from time of take off to the time of the accident.” The Commanding Officer of the Squadron stated “The quick rate of climb followed by a dive suggests a stall or quick action to avoid a stall. It is impossible to arrive at a certain conclusion as to the cause of the accident.”
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, 163/149/144
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line