LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant William Henry PRATT
Service No: 434897
Born: Northcote VIC, 1 November 1919
Enlisted in the RAAF: 25 February 1943
Unit: No. 7 Squadron
Died: Air Operations: (No. 7 Squadron Beaufort aircraft A9-660), Papua, 28 January 1945, Aged 25 Years
Buried: Port Moresby (Bomana) War Cemetery PNG
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Francis Lawrence Pratt and Alama Beatrice Pratt ; husband of Joan Kathleen Pratt of Preston, Victoria
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 99, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 28 January 1945, Beaufort A9-660 went missing on a flight from Port Moresby to Tadji via Lae. The wreckage of the aircraft was subsequently discovered.
Crew
Wing Commander Nigel William Barker (260411) (Pilot)
Flying Officer Alfred Vincent Eric Bate (431161) (Navigator)
Flying Officer Colin Laidler Chisholm (431737) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Flying Officer Allan Dalglish (439416) (Second Pilot)
Flight Sergeant William Henry Pratt (434897) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Passengers
Sergeant Reginald Thomas Barter (60200) (Service Police, Port Moresby)
Lieutenant Colonel Austin George Fenton (NX484) Australian Army, HQ Military History Section
Flight Sergeant Trevor Neil Hay (56177) (No. 76 Squadron)
A9-660 was escorting No. 76 Squadron Kittyhawk aircraft A29-649 (Warrant Officer Raymond John Keyes (420571)) which also went missing but has not been found.
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A9845, 264