LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer Brian Augustus RAFTERY
Service No: 432264
Born: South Grafton NSW, 25 September 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 5 December 1942
Unit: No. 5 Service Flying Training School, Uranquinty NSW
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 5 Service Flying Training School Wirraway aircraft A20-96), near Wagga Wagga NSW, 27 September 1944, Aged 23 years
Buried: Wagga Wagga War Cemetery, NSW
CWGC Additional Information: Son of William Augustine and Alice Ellen Raftery, of Brush Grove
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 116, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: NSW Department of Education Teachers and Trainees WW2 Honour Roll, Sydney NSW
At 1045 hours on 27 September 1944, Wirraway A20-96 crashed two miles north of the Narrandera road, 11miles from Wagga, and the crew was killed. The aircraft crashed during a non-operational instrument flying training flight.
The crew members of A20-96 were:
Leading Aircraftman Albert Victor Quirk (40960) (Trainee Dual Pilot)
Pilot Officer Brian Augustus Raftery (432264) (Instructor 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, 166/35/25
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line