LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Gordon Cameron SHARP
Service No: 265250
Born: Islington NSW, 10 September 1915
Enlisted in the RAAF: 31 January 1940 (at RAAF Station Laverton VIC)
Unit: No. 72 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 72 Squadron Spitfire aircraft EN298), Italy, 20 June 1943, Aged 27 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Thomas William and Louisa Jane Sharp; husband of Morfydd Jane Sharp, of Treorchy, South Wales
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 11 Column 1, Malta Memorial, Malta
Remembered: Panel 130, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Newcastle Boys High School Memorial Entrance World War II, Waratah NSW
At 1830 hours on 20 June 1943 Spitfire EN298 took off from Hal Far, Malta, as one of four aircraft scrambled. The other pilots reported that at 1900 hours when at 26,000 feet and 10 miles south of Pozzallo, Sicily, they saw 2 ME109s flying south west towards Gela. Warrant Officer Gear (RAF) was Red 3 and Flying Officer Sharp was Red 4 in the formation of 4 aircraft. The enemy aircraft were engaged and in the ensuing action, Flying Officer Sharp when at 16,000 feet was shot down and crashed about 3 miles west of Biscari, Sicily. Flying Officer Sharp was not seen to bale out of the aircraft. Following post war enquiries and investigations when no trace of Flying Officer Sharp could be found, it was recorded in 1949 that he had no known grave.
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, 166/37/127
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line