LEST WE FORGET

Sergeant Alun Griffiths REES

Service No: 405084
Born: Nantyffyllon, Wales, 7 October 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 6 January 1941 (at Brisbane QLD)
Unit: No 422 (Flying Yachtsman) Squadron (RCAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 422 Squadron Sunderland aircraft E6029), Scotland, 19 December 1942, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Thomas Gwilym and Blodwen Rees, of Nanango, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Nanango QLD
Remembered: Panel 113, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey UK
Remembered: Panel 133, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT

Sunderland E6029 was engaged in a transit flight on 19 December 1942, and on landing at Oban, Firth of Lorne, Scotland, in moderately rough seas, the aircraft struck a wave considerably larger than the average, and broke in two. Rescue launches were immediately on the scene and 15 survivors were rescued, but there was no trace of Sergeant Rees and two other members. Two further bodies were later recovered. It was later recorded that Sergeant Rees had lost his life at sea.

The crew members of E6029 were:

Leading Aircraftman William Arthur Allen (R/118882) (RCAF) (Rigger) Killed
Warrant Harold Francis Burt-Gerrans (J/16744) (RCAF) (Second Pilot) Killed
Sergeant C E Channey (R/103785) (RCAF) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Sergeant B B Currie (R/96416) (RCAF) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Pilot Officer H A Goggin (J/14399) (RCAF) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Sergeant J Luke (699602) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Flying Officer J E Potter (J/10232) (RCAF) (Observer)
Flight Lieutenant J T Reed (01646) (RAF) (Pilot)
Sergeant J H R Tait (579090) (RAF) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Sergeant R J Webster (1192558) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)

Plus 11 Passengers including

Pilot Officer D M Cameron (113530) (RAFVR)
Sergeant L N Cooper (404020) (RNZAF)
Major J S Cox (28772)
Sergeant C Davies (127062) (RAFVR)
Leading Aircraftman H S Dodd (RS9374)
Flying Officer L C Hoare (801920 (RAFVR)
Sergeant J A Humphreys (553526) (RAFVR)
Sergeant D A O’Dowd (527272) (RAF)
Sergeant Alun Griffiths Rees (405084) Killed
Captain M Strattion (91836)
Captain A P R Thomas (71807)

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, 163/156/211

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