LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Alan Franklin PATON
Service No: 400512
Born: Tumbarumba NSW, 16 July 1916
Enlisted in the RAAF: 14 September 1940 (at Melbourne VIC)
Unit: No. 31 Squadron (SAAF)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 31 Squadron Liberator aircraft EW104), Bulgaria, 29 June 1944, Aged 27 Years
Buried: Sofia War Cemetery, Bulgaria
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Thomas Henderson Paton and Florence Mary Paton, of Millawa, Upper Murray, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Corryong VIC
Remembered: Panel 134, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Liberator EW104 took off from the Celone Landing Ground during the evening of 28 June1944, together with 10 other aircraft from the Squadron, to bomb Girugui, Romania. Over the target heavy but inaccurate anti-aircraft fire was encountered, together with air to air rockets from unidentified aircraft. EW104 failed to return from the mission. Members of another aircraft were attacked by a night fighter and baled out. They were captured but were eventually returned safe to their unit. Two of the crew stated that after their capture they were taken to the scene of a crash in the vicinity and identified the wing of EW104. They were told by the Bulgarians that all the crew of seven had been killed in the crash.
The crew members of EW104 were:
Warrant Officer II W S Barrett (206221V) (SAAF) (Wireless Operator)
Sergeant Bernard Oswald Brazier (1398925) (RAFVR) (Bomb Aimer)
Warrant Officer II D T Flynn (581315V) (SAAF) (Signaller / Air Gunner)
Lieutenant D J G Haggie (2071655V) (SAAF) (Pilot)
Lieutenant D Lindley (543056V) (SAAF) (Observer)
Flying Officer Alan Franklin Paton (400512) (Signaller / Air Gunner)
Second Lieutenant R G Southey (542595V) (SAAF) (Second Pilot)
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, 166/22/426
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line