LEST WE FORGET
Warrant Officer Reginald Edmund PERCIVAL
Service No: 402671
Born: Strathfield NSW, 9 December 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 18 September 1940
Unit: No. 3 Squadron
Died: Injuries from Air Operations: (No. 3 Squadron Kittyhawk aircraft FS446), Italy, 5 September 1943, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Catania War Cemetery, Sicily
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Edmund Samuel and Edith Annie Percival, of Strathfield, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Strathfield NSW
Remembered: Panel 98, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Strathfield World War II Roll of Honour, Strathfield NSW
On 5 September 1943, Kittyhawk FS446 flown by Warrant Officer Percival was in a formation of 12 aircraft detailed to bomb and strafe enemy transport in the south of Italy. In its second attack FS446 was hit in the engine by anti-aircraft fire. Warrant Officer Percival immediately contacted other Pilots by radio saying his engine was failing, and he may have to bale out. Another aircraft from the formation flew over and escorted FS446 back to the Sicilian coast. At 1525 hours the escorting pilot saw FS446 attempt to force land near the beach but the aircraft hit the water though allied soldiers were able to rescue Warrant Officer Percival. Warrant Officer Percival later died of his injuries in an Army field ambulance.
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, 166/32/190
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line