LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Robert Leslie Dunlop PHAIR
Service No: 405800
Born: Gladstone QLD, 31 July 1915
Enlisted in the RAAF: 20 June 1941
Unit: No. 11 Operational Training Unit (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 11 Operational Training Unit Wellington aircraft R1163), 20 November 1942, Aged 27 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Hugh Deal Phair and Elizabeth Janet Phair, of Kangaroo Point, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Brisbane QLD
Remembered: Panel 113, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey UK
Remembered: Panel 128, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 1100 hours on 20 November 1942 Wellington R1163 took off to carry out a cross country training exercise. The crew were detailed to carry out line overlaps, simulation bombing and air firing over the sea. A message was received from the aircraft 15 minutes after take-off, but nothing further was heard from R 1163 which failed to return to base. An Air Sea Rescue search found no trace of the missing aircraft or crew. The route was Base – Market Raisen, Lincoln, – Maplethorpe – position 53.20N 01.35E –Maplethorpe – Market Raisen – Base. It was later recorded that the missing crew members had lost their lives at sea off the Lincolnshire coast.
The crew members of R1163 were:
Pilot Officer Allan Booth (127113) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Pilot Officer Cedric William Clare (414249) (RNZAF) (Navigator)
Sergeant Thomas Connor (1211268) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Sergeant Patrick Joseph Flynn (1580257) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant Robert Leslie Dunlop Phair (405800) (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, 163/150/277