LEST WE FORGET
Leading Aircraftman James Malcolm Alexander STIRLING
Service No: 408711
Born: East Melbourne VIC, 18 July 1914
Enlisted in the RAAF: 22 May 1941
Unit: No. 3 Service Flying Training School, RAAF Station Amberley QLD
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 3 Service Flying Training School Anson aircraft W2211), Amberley, 15 February 1942, Aged 27 Years
Buried: Canberra (Woden) Public Cemetery, ACT
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Austrolix Alpinae Stirling and Christina Sarah Stirling, of Forrest. B.Agr. (Melbourne)
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 117, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 15 February 1942, Leading Aircraftman Stirling, a Trainee Pilot flying solo, was killed when Anson W2211 crashed near the Amberley aerodrome. The wing of the aircraft on the side of the engine which had failed stalled. It was considered that the cause of the accident was the failure to observe the correct procedure for draining petrol tanks.
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 A9301, 408711; A9845, 77