LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Billie STRIKE-McCLELLAND
Service No: 412748
Born: Leeton NSW, 13 November 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 20 July 1941
Unit: No. 1 Air Observers School
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 1 Air Observers School Anson aircraft AW485), near MacLean NSW, 7 March 1944, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Evans Head War Cemetery, NSW
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Burtie and Agnes Mary Strike-McClelland; husband of Jessie Strike-McClelland, of Croydon
Roll of Honour: Leeton NSW
Remembered: Panel 117, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: ANZAC Memorial Clock, Leeton NSW
During a navigation training exercise on 7 March 1944, Anson AW485 crashed at 1445 hours 20 miles south of Evans Head near MacLean and all the crew members were killed. It was considered that the probable cause of the accident was loss of control in cloud, causing the aircraft to disintegrate in the air.
The crew members of AW485 were:
Flight Sergeant Bruce Allan Duckworth (409394) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Leading Aircraftman Robert Thomas Robertson (439616) (Trainee Navigator Bomb Aimer)
Leading Aircraftman Patrick John Scanlan (435197) (Trainee Navigator Bomb Aimer)
Leading Aircraftman Neville Thomas Self (433627) (Trainee Navigator Bomb Aimer)
Flying Officer Billie Strike-McClelland (412748) (Pilot)
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, 166/37/339
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line