LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Norman Frederick ROBINSON
Service No: 401284
Born: Caulfield VIC, 23 June 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 6 January 1941
Unit: No. 457 Squadron
Died: Air Operations: (No. 457 Squadron Spitfire aircraft BS197), off Anson Bay NT, 6 July 1943, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Norman De Winter Robinson and Edna Jeann E. Robinson, of Toorak, Victoria
Roll of Honour: Malvern VIC
Remembered: Panel 7, Northern Territory Memorial, Adelaide River NT
Remembered: Panel 106, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 6 July 1943, Spitfires BR589, BR499 and BS 197 were part of an 11 aircraft formation which was detailed to intercept Japanese aircraft which had crossed the coast and headed in the direction of Fenton airfield, Northern Territory. The three Spitfires were part of Blue Section of four aircraft which included Flight Sergeant Rex Wyndham Watson (404714) (Discharged: 19 December 1945) who had to return to base with an unserviceable Radio. The enemy aircraft were intercepted 35 miles east of Anson Bay at 20,000 feet and following the engagement, the three Spitfires of Blue Section were reported missing and failed to return to base. Over the next five days, a search for the three aircraft was carried out in the area and all landing fields were contacted. On 20 July the wreck of BR499 and the remains of Pilot Officer McDowell were found in the Fenton area, but no trace of the other two Spitfires was found.
The Pilots were:
Flying Officer Frank Drury Hamilton (403050) (Pilot BR589)
Pilot Officer Frederick Richard John McDowell (403070) (Pilot BR499)
Flying Officer Norman Frederick Robinson (401284) (Pilot BS197)
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, 166/36/81; A9845, 273