LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer Colin Carl TRUMAN
Service No: 402766
Born: Inverell NSW, 18 August 1909
Enlisted in the RAAF: 14 October 1940
Unit: No. 14 Squadron (RAF), Shallufa, Egypt
Died: Air Operations: (No. 14 Squadron Marauder aircraft FK150), Eastern Mediterranean, 15 February 1943, Aged 33Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Harry and Agnes Truman; husband of Margaret Jane Truman, of Lane Cove, New South Wales, Australia.
Roll of Honour: Lane Cove NSW
Remembered: Column 277, Alamein Memorial, Egypt
Remembered: Panel 131, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Marauder FK150 of No. 14 Squadron took off from RAF Shallufa at 1045 hours on 15 February 1943 together with Marauder FK 142 to carry out an offensive sweep with torpedos in the Aegean Sea. No message was received from FK 150 after take off and it did not return to base. Following post war enquiries and investigations, it was recorded in 1948 that the missing crew had lost their lives at sea.
The crew members of FK 150 were:
Flying Officer Bernard Thomas Connell (402853) (RNZAF) (Navigator)
Sergeant Kenneth Firth (1068543) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Robert Edward Herbert Hope (407363) (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Sergeant William James Semple (542705) (RAF) (Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Jack Irvine Thompson (403437) (Second Pilot)
Pilot Officer Colin Carl Truman (402766) (Pilot)
Marauder FK142 subsequently made a forced landing in Turkey, and the crew were interned in Ankara. They were later released and rejoined the Squadron. In a statement made by this crew they reported that “they last saw FK150 in the Euboean Sea heading north east about 1600 hours and it did not appear to be in trouble. FK150 was in radio communication with the accompanying aircraft until 1630 hours, and then nothing further was heard.”
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 Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/168/126
Bibliography: