LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Rambler David ROBERTS
Service No: 407833
Born: Mitcham SA, 4 April 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 6 January 1941
Unit: No. 25 Operational Training Unit (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 25 Operational Training Unit Wellington aircraft DV841), County Durham, 21 May 1942, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Darlington West Cemetery, Durham
CWGC Additional Information: Son of William David and Agnes Lucy Roberts, of Salisbury, South Australia.
Roll of Honour: Unley SA
Remembered: Panel 129, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
On the 21st May 1942, Wellington DV841 took off from RAF Finningley, for a navigation training exercise. The aircraft crashed at 1755 hours at Emma Pits Road on West Paddy Moor, a mile north west of Crook in County Durham It had been on a cross country to the Isle of Man and was returning via York. The aircraft was seen to spin in by the Observer Corps after travelling straight and level at about 8,000 feet. Other witnesses stated that smoke was pouring from one of its engines. All the crew members were killed in the crash.
The crew members of DV841 were:
Flight Sergeant Robert Melbourne Boates (R/76299) (RCAF) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant Rae Groom (408144) (Second Pilot)
Flight Sergeant William Neil Reeves (R/86394) (RCAF) (Observer)
Flight Sergeant Angus Frederick Roberts (R/74926) (RCAF) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant Rambler David Roberts (407833) (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, 163/158/284