LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer William John TOLLIDAY
Service No: 410793
Born: Darling VIC, 16 March 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 31 January 1942
Unit: No. 96 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 96 Squadron Dakota aircraft KN468), India, 13 June 1945, Aged 23 Years
Buried: Delhi War Cemetery, India
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Leslie Harris Tolliday and Mary Bruce Tolliday, of Clunes, Victoria, Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 131, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 13 June 1945 Dakota KN468 crashed about 2 miles east of Dinawa railway station near Patna, India, while on a daytime transport of equipment flight. Fire broke out in the aircraft during the flight and the port engine ceased to function. The crash was in position 25.27N 085.17E.
The crew members of KN468 were:
Flight Lieutenant James Jeffery Allen DFC (411723) (Navigator) Fatally injured. Died: 15 June 1945
Flying Officer Bruce Douglas Bancroft DFC GM (421635) (Pilot) Injured, Discharged from the RAAF: 8 February 1946
Leading Aircraftman Cyril Leonard Bunn (1191654) (RAFVR) (F/M/A) (Passenger) Fatally injured, Died: 14 June 1945
Pilot Officer Alfred William Culshaw (55480) (RAF) (Second Pilot) Fatally injured, Died: 14 June 1945
Leading Aircraftman Alan Hull (901910) (RAFVR) (Flight Mechanic Engines) Fatally injured, Died: 14 June 1945
Aircraftman Class II George Hullah (2227821) (RAFVR) (Grad/Mech)
Flying Officer William John Tolliday (410793) (Wireless Operator Air)
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, 166/40/636