LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Walter MacPherson PUGH
Service No: 404858
Born: Townsville QLD, 30 October 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 6 December 1921
Unit: No. 70 Squadron (RAF), Landing Ground 05, Egypt
Died: Air Operations: (No. 70 Squadron Wellington aircraft Z1170), Egypt, 29 June 1942, Aged 20 Years
Buried: Ismalia War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Alfred Ingram Pugh and Isabel Pugh, of Mackay, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Townsville QLD
Remembered: Panel 129, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 29 June 1942 Wellington Z1170 was detailed to attack Landing Ground 121 and motor transport near Sidi Barrani, but crashed on take-off, perhaps because the flaps were prematurely raised. The aircraft exploded on impact killing four crew members, and injured the two others, one fatally.
The crew members of Z1170 were:
Flight Sergeant Joseph Harris Gunyon (R/80542) (RCAF) (Pilot)
Sergeant Frank Owen Holder Harrison (41586) (RNZAF) (Wireless Air Gunner) Fatally injured: Died: 7 July 1942
Sergeant N C Harrop (403001) (RNZAF) (Air Gunner) Injured
Flying Officer Walter MacPherson Pugh (404858) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant William Harry Rowles (405457) (RNZAF) (Observer)
Flight Sergeant Herbert Bernard Stevens (41957) (RNZAF) (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
Gunby D (David) and Pelham Temple, Royal Air Force Bomber Losses in the Middle East and Mediterranean, Volume 1 1939-1942, Midland Publishing UK, 2006
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/52/99