LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Montrose Edward SUBLET
Service No: 406582
Born: Perth WA, 26 August 1914
Enlisted in the RAAF: 3 February 1941
Unit: No. 244 Squadron (RAF), Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 244 Squadron Blenheim aircraft), Iraq, 15 July 1943, Aged 28 Years
Buried: Basra War Cemetery, Iraq
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Harry and Rose Sublet, of Maylands, Western Australia.
Roll of Honour: Perth WA
Remembered: Panel 131, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Cenotaph Undercroft, State War Memorial, Kings Park WA
On 15th July 1943, a Blenheim aircraft from 244 Squadron took off at 0155 hours from W-3 runway and crashed at 0158 hours at Masirah. All on board the aircraft were killed.
A Court of Inquiry into the accident stated that “on being airborne smoke was seen to be coming from the port engine. The aircraft did a left hand circuit and approached the runway from the south east. Both engines appeared to be developing power but the aircraft did not climb above 400 feet. The aircraft hit some rough ground with the wheels up and burst into flames. About five minutes later there was a heavy explosion when the depth charges which had apparently not been jettisoned, exploded.”
The Blenheim aircraft crew members were:
Flight Sergeant George Keir (1056140) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Flight Sergeant Donald William Henry Nash (1312416) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Montrose Edward Sublet (406582) (Wireless Air Gunner)
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, 166/38/203
Bibliography:
Gaston, Bruce DFC (406646), Harry Horner DFC OAM (406595), Raymond Storer (406666) (Editors), Aircrew for the Duration: of and by members of RAAF EATS Courses 10, 11, 12 & 13, Gaston Horner and Storer, Nedlands WA, 1990