LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Archibald Pollock SMITH
Service No: 421460
Born: Drummoyne NSW, 6 December 1917
Enlisted in the RAAF: 1 February 1942
Unit: No. 203 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 203 Squadron Liberator aircraft KG936), off Sumatra, 20 March 1945, Aged 27 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of James Ferguson Smith and Emily Smith, of Drummoyne, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Drummoyne NSW
Remembered: Column 457, Singapore Memorial, Singapore
Remembered: Panel 130, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Drummoyne War Memorial, Drummoyne NSW
At 0440Z hours on 20 March 1945 Liberator KG936 took off from Kankesantura on an operational sortie together with 5 other Liberators from No. 203 Squadron. The mission was to attack shipping and port installations at Uleeheue on the northern tip of Sumatra. The six Liberators had a successful flight to the target. KG936 and D/203 approached the target together. Flight Lieutenant G L Fletcher (D/203) reported that on approaching the anchorage at Uleeheue, he noticed KG936 abreast of and slightly below and to port of his plane. The attack was made individually by each aircraft. Anti-aircraft fire was experienced and at least one shell was seen to burst under KG936. After the attack, KG936 was slightly lower than the other aircraft which was at 50 feet. Both aircraft flew away from the target heading north. KG936 was seen to crash into the water, float for a few seconds and then sink. The time was 1204Z. D/203 circled the crash site at position 05.37N 095.13E, and saw a wing and fuel cell floating, but no sign of any survivors.
The crew members of KG936 were:
Flight Sergeant Wilfred Arthur Collins (1312970) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator/Air)
Flying Officer Louis Mary Joseph Grant (153776) (RAFVR) (Second Pilot)
Sergeant Angus Forrest Herd (1829311) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant Alexander Murdock Lang (1120910) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator/Air)
Flight Sergeant Ernest Edward Leftwich (1337779) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator/Air)
Flight Lieutenant Shirley William Morris (J/22813) (RCAF) (Pilot)
Sergeant Dennis Clifford Oakden (1895383) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Eric Peters (1894482) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Flight Sergeant John Douglas Silkstone (1318346) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator/Air)
Flying Officer Archibald Pollock Smith (421460) (Navigator/Bomb Aimer)
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, 166/38/1002
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line