LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant William Mervyn SORENSEN
Service No: 13143
Born: Oakleigh VIC, 23 November 1919
Enlisted in the RAAF: 19 February 1941
Unit: No. 3 Recruiting Centre
Died: Drowned, Evans Head NSW, 13 February 1943, Aged 23 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of William Stanley Sorensen and Frances Louesa Sorensen, of Oakleigh, Victoria
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 8, Sydney Memorial, Rookwood NSW
Remembered: Panel 115, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On the 13 February 1943, four Non-Commissioned Officers, members of the Queensland Independent Stocktaking staff attached to No. 1 Bombing and Gunnery School from No. 3 Recruit Centre, spent the Saturday morning at Evans Head on the normal weekend stand down at the School. At approximately 1100 hours three of them including Sergeant Sorenson (an Equipment Assistant), were standing about waist high in the water surf fishing, and casting out as the water receded. Sergeant Sorenson was drawn by the undertow into deep water, and when his cries showed he was in difficulties, others went out to help him, but within 3 to 4 yards of him saw him disappear under the water and not re-appear. His companions reported that Sergeant Sorenson could not swim. No trace of Sergeant Sorenson was found and he has 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, 166/38/39