LEST WE FORGET

Sergeant William PETTIGREW

Service No: 405602
Born: Hamilton, Scotland, 10 May 1911
Enlisted in the RAAF: 26 April 1941 (at Brisbane QLD)
Unit: No. 179 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 179 Squadron Wellington aircraft HX773), near Portreath, 15 March 1943, Aged 31 Years
Buried: Illogan (St Illogan) Churchyard, Redruth Cornwall
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Matthew and Annie Pettigrew, of Windsor, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Brisbane QLD
Remembered: Panel 128, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT

While in transit from RAF Station Portreath to Gibraltar on 15 March 1943, Wellington HX73 crashed at 0227 hours one mile east of Portreath aerodrome. The aircraft failed to gain height after take-off and flew into the ground. All the crew members were killed.

The crew members of HX773 were:

Sergeant Ian Stuart Gibson (409065) (Navigator Bomb Aimer)
Flying Officer Follett Keith Major (403222) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Donald Leo McDonald (405598) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant William Pettigrew (405602) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Reginald Arnold Powell (412733) (RNZAF) (Second Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Hugh Miller Williamson (973896) (RAFVR) (Wireless 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 Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/32/56

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