LEST WE FORGET

Pilot Officer Noel Henry SISLEY

Service No: 425979
Born: Brisbane QLD, 12 February 1924
Enlisted in the RAAF: 21 May 1942
Unit: No. 640 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Leconfield
Died: Aircraft Accident: (No. 640 Squadron Halifax aircraft MZ492), Yorkshire, 2 February 1945, Aged 20 Years
Buried: Harrogate (Stonefall) Cemetery, Yorkshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Donald Moir Sisley and Dorothy Sisley, of Wooloowin, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Brisbane QLD
Remembered: Panel 130, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT

At 2036 hours on the night of the 2 February 1945, Halifax MZ492 took off from Leconfield detailed to attack an oil refining plant at Wanne-Eickel, Germany. At 500 feet after take-off the Pilot reduced power, and, at the same time commenced banking steeply to port. Moments later at approximately 2038 hours, the Halifax crashed into Lakes Wood at Lockington, six miles north north west of Beverley, Yorkshire. Six of the crew members were killed while the tail gunner escaped practically unscathed.

The crew members of MZ492 were:

Sergeant Martin Delahunty (1683581) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Bradford William Owen Dockerty (1801212) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Sergeant Thomas Aidan Gibson (1673230) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Sergeant Alexander Gray (1565369) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Sergeant Peter Raymond Jefferies (3030814) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Pilot Officer Noel Henry Sisley (425979) (Pilot)
Sergeant J S Whitmee (1882495) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner) Minor injuries

A later Court of Inquiry into the accident stated: “The aircraft Halifax MZ492 took off from RAF Leconfield at 2036 hours. The aircraft climbed normally to about 500 feet, and the Pilot reduced the engine settings and gave the Navigator permission to come forward from the rest position. The aircraft then lost height while it banked fairly steeply to port and finally struck a tree with the port wing and port outer engine. The port outer wing then became detached and the aircraft crashed over an area some 300/400 yards and some 2 minutes after take-off.

The Primary cause of the accident was engine failure and bad instrument flying was considered the next most likely cause of the accident. The Pilot was inexperienced making only his second operational flight by night with a full bomb load. He did not appear to realize that anything was amiss otherwise he would not have ordered lower engine settings and allowing the Navigator to come forward. Sergeant Whitmee the Rear Gunner who escaped with minor injuries, appeared to realize that the aircraft was in a steep bank to port and was losing height before the crash occurred.

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, 166/37/727

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