LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Douglas Stanley PUDNEY
Service No: 417888
Born: Goodwood SA, 14 December 1919
Enlisted in the RAAF: 18 July 1942
Unit: No. 70 Operational Training Unit (RAF), Shandur, Egypt
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 70 Operational Training Unit Baltimore aircraft AH114), Egypt, 17 August 1944, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Fayid War Cemetery, Egypt
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Archie Oliver and Linda Irene Pudney, of Hyde Park, South Australia
Roll of Honour: Unley SA
Remembered: Panel 129, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
On the 17th August 1944, Baltimore AH114 took off from RAF Shandur, detailed to carry out a non-operational night bombing practice exercise. The aircraft crashed at 2052 hours into deep water in the Great Bitter Lakes, and all the crew members were killed. The accident occurred shortly after the Pilot took off for a second time, having returned to base from his first take off at the request of one member of the crew. After his second take off the aircraft dipped and flew into the lake. The aircraft was salvaged after four days.
The crew members of AH114 were:
Sergeant Richard Brian Charlesworth (1623338) (RAFVR) (Navigator Bomb Aimer)
Sergeant Thomas Kinnear Clark (1822577) (RAF) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Douglas Stanley Pudney (417888) (Pilot)
Sergeant Denis James Thomas Watts (651006) (RAF) (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 Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/33/205