LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Alfred Frank SHERRY
Service No: 418982
Born: Northcote VIC, 28 February 1923
Enlisted in the RAAF: 20 June 1942
Unit: No. 131 Operational Training Unit (RAF), RAF Station Killadeas
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 131 Operational Training Unit Catalina aircraft FP193), Northern Ireland, 9 January 1944, Aged 20 Years
Buried: Irvinestown Church of Ireland Churchyard, County Fermanagh
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Frederick William and Alice Ruby Sherry, of Richmond, Victoria, Australia
Roll of Honour: Heidelberg VIC
Remembered: Panel 130, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 9 January 1944 Catalina FP193was engaged in a non-operational low level bombing exercise, and at 0915 hours it was making its second run over the target when it crashed on Loughferne, County Fermanagh. It appeared that the pilot who was turning on to the target failed to pull out of a diving turn and flew straight into the water, crashing half a mile from the target. The surface of the Lough was calm and there were streaks on the surface. It appeared that the Pilot misjudged his height badly and continued his diving turn too low. The flame floats carried in the aircraft ignited when the plane submerged and this lit up the petrol and oil escaped from the damaged tanks.
The crew members of FP193 were:
Sergeant C W Aldridge (1559314) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner) Slightly injured
Sergeant Harry Bagley (1431670) (RAFVR)
Sergeant Edward Leroy Gros (1649541) (RAFVR)
Sergeant Stanley Oswald Hill (1691061) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant Ivor George Howells (1600260) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Sergeant I R B Lee (1212863) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer/Air Gunner) Seriously injured
Sergeant Liddle (928450) (RAFVR) (WOM Air Gunner) Slightly injured
Flight Sergeant Alfred Frank Sherry (418892) (Navigator Bomb Aimer)
Sergeant Bernard Edward Smith (1335224) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Sergeant Robert Hugh Davis Watson (1339833) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
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, 166/37/294