LEST WE FORGET

Flight Sergeant Donald Edward RIPPER

Service No: 409276
Born: Melbourne VIC, 21 October 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 20 July 1941
Unit: No. 229 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 229 Squadron Spitfire aircraft EF615), Malta, 26 October 1943, Aged 23 Years
Buried: Malta (Capuccini) Naval Cemetery, Malta
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Norman Clarence and Doris Marguerete Ripper, of Stratford, Victoria, Australia.
Roll of Honour: Stratford VIC
Remembered: Panel 129, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT

At 0550 hours GMT on 26 October 1943 Spitfire EF615 flown by Flight Sergeant Ripper blew up in mid-air possibly as the result of a lightning strike and he was killed. In a subsequent Inquiry into the accident it was reported: “from examination of the wreckage, there is evidence that both main planes became detached in the air, probably at a fairly low altitude. On impact the fuselage complete with engine apparently exploded dispersing the wreckage over a wide area.”

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, 166/35/106

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