LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant William David SANDWELL
Service No: 415685
Born: Northcote VIC, 28 August 1912
Enlisted in the RAAF: 7 December 1941 (at Perth WA)
Unit: No. 1 Squadron, Gould NT
Died: Air Operations (No. 1 Squadron Beaufort aircraft A9-509), Timor, 9 May 1944, Aged 31 Years
Buried: Ambon War Cemetery, Indonesia
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Frederick B. Sandwell and Katherine Sandwell; husband of Joan Elsie Sandwell, of Mount Lawley, Western Australia.
Roll of Honour: Perth WA
Remembered: Panel 97 Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Cenotaph Undercroft, State War Memorial, Kings Park WA
On 8th May No. 1 Squadron was ordered to attack the Japanese army barracks in Penfui. Six Beauforts took off on the mission but only three found their target and attacked. While over the target, anti-aircraft fire from the ground was bursting close to the Beauforts. Two machines,
piloted by Squadron Leader Roxburgh (A9-541) and Flight Sergeant Wallace (A9-509), were evidently hit by this fire; both failed to return.
Extract from Odgers, G.J. (George James) (VX127783) Air War Against Japan 1943-1945, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1957 – Page 228
The crew members of A9-509 were:
Flight Sergeant William James Hamilton (418836) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Warrant Officer Felix Edward Keon (410242) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant William David Sandwell (415685) (Observer)
Flight Sergeant Terence Wallace (415703) (Pilot) PoW, Died 10 May 1944
No. 1 Squadron lost Beaufort A9-541 (Squadron Leader Gilbert Bryce Dart Roxburgh (260656) (Pilot)) on 9 May 1944.
References:
ADF Serials Team On-Line Records
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A9845, 257
Bibliography:
Wilson, S. (Stewart) Beaufort, Beaufighter and Mosquito in Australian Service, Aerospace Publications Weston Creek ACT 2611, 1990