LEST WE FORGET
Leading Aircraftman Gordon PATTERSON
Service No: 37142
Born: Moss Vale NSW, 4 November 1914
Enlisted in the RAAF: 10 June 1941
Unit: Central Flying School
Died: Aircraft Accident (Central Flying School Wirraway aircraft A20-21), near Tamworth NSW, 8 August 1942, Aged 27 Years
Buried: Tamworth General Cemetery, NSW
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Oscar and Susan Patterson, of Currabubula
Roll of Honour: Tamworth NSW
Remembered: Panel 116, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Currabubula War Memorial Hall, Currabubula NSW
On 8 August 1942, Flight Lieutenant Dawson expressed the intention of testing certain altitudes to which the Wirraway aircraft could climb, and as he had only recently been posted to the Wirraway Flight, he was taking every opportunity to become proficient with this type and check data. At 1350 hours the aircraft took off, and the take-off appeared normal. Observers stated that the control column was in position for dual in the rear seat. At about 1425 hours at a height of 3,000 feet, the aircraft was seen by the Flight Commander of the Wirraway flight to be in a steep spiral dive at very high speed and to crash behind a hill. Both the crew members were killed.
The crew members of A20-21 were:
Flight Lieutenant Cedar Alfred Dawson (415) (Pilot)
Leading Aircraftman Gordon Patterson (37142) (Supernumerary)
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, 163/149/229; A9845, 101
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line