LEST WE FORGET
Warrant Officer Charles Matthew RAVEN
Service No: 410538
Born: Dunolly VIC, 12 May 1918
Enlisted in the RAAF: 28 February 1941
Unit: No. 1 Aircraft Delivery Unit (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 1 Aircraft Delivery Unit Hudson aircraft FK459), Khartoum, 16 June 1943, Aged 25 Years
Buried: Khartoum War Cemetery, Sudan
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Charles and Marianne Sophie Jane Raven, of Dunolly, Victoria, Australia.
Roll of Honour: Dunolly VIC
Remembered: Panel 129, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On the 16th June 1943, Hudson FK459 crashed near the RAF aerodrome at Khartoum, Sudan. The crew and 15 passengers were killed. The passengers included RAAF members Warrant Officer Neil Gray (Navigator/Bomb Aimer) and Warrant Officer Charles Raven (Pilot).
Those on board FK 459 included:
Crew Members:
Sergeant Brian James Cox (1191347) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Pilot Officer George Edward Harris (149584) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Passengers:
Sergeant Douglas Elliott Guy Bown (967927) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Sergeant Brian James Cox (1191347) (RAFVR)
Flight Sergeant John Creighton (RAF) (581321) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant S Crochowski (Polish Air Force) (Pilot)
Warrant Officer Neil Francis Gray (406617) (Navigator)
Sergeant James Sidney Harris (1550611) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Sergeant James Lissett (1211346) (RAFVR)
Flight Sergeant Albert Partington (RAF) (656010) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Samuel Leonard Pointon (41936) (RNZAF) (Pilot)
Warrant Officer Charles Matthew Raven (401538) (Pilot)
Squadron Leader George Michael Roddy (37234) (RAF) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Stanlowiak (Polish Air Force) (Pilot)
Sergeant Ronald William Smith (1056937) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Tetnokski (Polish Air Force) (Pilot)
Warrant Officer G Tonczak (Polish Air Force) (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 Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/35/85
Bibliography:
Ilbery, P.L.T. (Peter Leslie Thomas) (422957) Hatching an Air Force: 2SFTS, 5SFTS, 1BFTS Uranquinty and Wagga Wagga, Banner Books Maryborough QLD 4650, 2002