LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Cosma Lake RANDELL
From Australia serving in the Royal Flying Corps
Service No: 47302 (British Army) 730, 5725 (Australian Army)
Born: Gumeracha SA, January 1894
Enlisted in the Army: 7 September 1915
Unit: 22th Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, based at Boisdinghem
Died: Air Operations, France, 23 August 1917, Aged 23 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Albert Wentworth Randell and Margaret Randell, of “Ardgour”, Walkerville, South Australia
Remembered: Arras Flying Services Memorial, Pas de Calais, France
Remembered: Commemorative Roll, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Brother of Lieutenant Wentworth Beavis Randell, No. 4 Squadron AFC, taken Prisoner of War near La Bassee, France, on 24 February 1918
On 30 April 1916, Sergeant Randell resigned from the Australian Army and joined the British Army.
On a formation offensive patrol on 23 August 1917, Sergeant Randell (Pilot) and Air Mechanic First Class John Valentine Hurley (22446) RFC (Gunner), flying Bristol Fighter aircraft B1101, went missing during aerial combat with five enemy aircraft.
References:
Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record B2455, RANDELL COSMA LAKE
National Archives UK RAF Casualty Book AIR 1/968 page 198 (2), 233833