LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Graeme Grieve STOBIE
Service No: 418198
Born: Melbourne VIC, 16 June 1923
Enlisted in the RAAF: 25 April 1942
Unit: No. 104 Operational Training Unit (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 104 Operational Training Unit Wellington aircraft Z1490), off the Scottish Coast, 26 January 1944, Aged 20 Years
Buried: Oban (Pennyfuir) Cemetery, Scotland
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Graeme and Evees Irene Stobie, of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Roll of Honour: Malvern VIC
Remembered: Panel 130, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 2050 hours on the night of 25 January 1944, Wellington Z1490 took off from Tiree to carry out a non-operational training flight. At 0020 hours the aircraft was supplied with a QDM (magnetic heading to base) of 149 degrees, and the aircraft changed frequency to Notts Corner. At 0030 hours No 13 Group plotted the aircraft at 56.18 N, 007.20W at 6,000 feet. Nothing further was heard from the aircraft which failed to return to base.
The crew members of Z1490 were:
Warrant Officer I Leif Tapio Erickson (R/104961) (RCAF) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Matthew John Fletcher (1294557) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Graeme Grieve Stobie (418198) (Navigator)
Warrant Officer Erickson’s body was washed ashore at Tiree at 2100 hours on 27 January 1944. He had died from exposure and not drowning or other injuries. The dinghy had also functioned correctly. All the circumstances point to a successful ditching followed by a gale which sprang up that morning and persisted for two days. No. 15 Group took the necessary search action.
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, 166/38/404