LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Sidney Alan SHAILER
Service No: 411406
Born: Campsie NSW, 1 February 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 28 April 1941
Unit: No. 14 Operational Training Unit (RAF), RAF Cottesmore, Rutland
Died: Air Operations: (No. 14 Operational Training Unit Hampden aircraft P1185), Belgium, 1 August 1942, Aged 19 Years
Buried: Adegem Canadian War Cemetery, Maldegem, Oost-Vlaanderen, Belgium
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Frederick A. and Elsie Florence Shailer, of Belmore, New South Wales, Australia.
Roll of Honour: Sydney NSW
Remembered: Panel 130, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Hampden P1185 took off from RAF Cottesmore at 0003 hours on the morning of 1 August 1942, detailed to bomb Dusseldorf, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base. It was believed that the aircraft was shot down by a night fighter and crashed at Leffinge, (West Vlaanderen), a village on the south side of Oostende airport. Three of the crew were killed and one became a Prisoner of War.
The crew members of P1185 were:
Flight Sergeant George Taylor Bloomer (R/81457) (RCAF) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Warrant Officer II N E McGowan (R/86507) (RCAF) (Pilot) PoW
Pilot Officer David Gerald McLean (J/9506) (RCAF) (Observer)
Sergeant Sydney Allen Shailer (411406) (Wireless Air Gunner)
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 A9301, 411406