LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Clive William Pryer RICE
Service No: 402251
Born: Albury NSW, 11 October 1914
Enlisted in the RAAF: 22 July 1940
Unit: No. 21 Operational Training Unit (RAF), RAF Station Edgehill
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 21 Operational Training Unit Wellington aircraft Z1157), Radway Range, 28 January 1942, Aged 27 Years
Buried: Moreton-in-Marsh New Cemetery, Gloucestershire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of William John and Emily Florence Rice, of Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 129, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 28 January 1942, Wellington Z1157 took off from Edgehill for night bombing training over the Radway ranges. At approximately 2100 hours the aircraft collided in the air with another of the Unit’s Wellington aircraft R1165 and Z1157 crashed in the range area. Wellington Z1157 returned to Edgehill and landed safely, though the aircraft captain, Sergeant H A Taylor, took the precaution of baling out his crew, some sustaining ankle injuries as a consequence.
The crew members of Z1157 were:
Sergeant Fitton (RAF) Injured
Sergeant Hollingworth (RAF) Injured
Sergeant A Orr (RAF) (Pilot) Uninjured
Sergeant Clive William Pryer Rice (402251) (Observer)
The crew members of R1165 were:
Sergeant A Bethel (1359884) (RAFVR)
Sergeant T A Clark (1376760) (RAFVR)
Sergeant G Henderson (970290) (RAFVR)
Sergeant H A Taylor (1289310) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Sergeant J B woodman (1270738) (RAFVR)
In an enquiry into the accident it was concluded that Sergeant Taylor had been late in completing his detail, while Sergeant Orr had arrived in the range area ahead of schedule.
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 163/157/130