LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Malcolm Henry Gallion RENDELL
Service No: 421689
Born: Waverley NSW, 29 March 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 28 February 1942
Unit: No. 609 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident: (No. 609 Squadron Typhoon aircraft MW434), Netherlands, 13 April 1945, Aged 25 Years
Buried: Uden War Cemetery, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Joseph Henry Hewett Rendall and Marguerite Elise Rendall, of Gladesville, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Gladesville NSW
Remembered: Panel 129, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On the 13th April 1945, Typhoon MW434 was detailed to carry out an operational rocket projectile attack (Operation Winkle) near Arnhem, Holland. The aircraft crashed near Graves Bridge,
Holland and Flying Officer Rendell was killed. In a report into the loss stated: “MW434 was involved in a collision in mid-air with Typhoon RB250 and both pilots were killed. The collision occurred when the aircraft were forming up after take-off. An error of judgement on the part of the pilot of RB250 would appear to have resulted in the mid-air collision, causing the deaths of both pilots.” The Pilot of Typhoon RB250 was Flight Sergeant Alain Hubert Edmond Marie de Blommeaert de Soye (1814804) (RAFVR).
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, 166/35/526