LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Raymond Alexander TUCKWELL
Service No: 422063
Born: Forbes NSW, 14 June 1914
Enlisted in the RAAF: 24 April 1942
Unit: No. 6 Elementary Flying Training School RAF
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 6 Elementary Flying Training School Tiger Moth Aircraft T6389), Northamptonshire, 1 June 1944, Aged 29 Years
Buried: Oxford (Botley) Cemetery, Oxfordshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Charles and Florence Annie Tuckwell; husband of Noela Jean Tuckwell, of Coraki, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Lismore NSW
Remembered: Panel 131, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Lismore Cenotaph, Lismore NSW
On the 1st June 1944, Tiger Moth T6389 took off on a non-operational day flight to practice local instrument flying. The aircraft crashed at 1545 hours at Wilby, Northamptonshire, and the crew of two was killed. Eye witnesses observed the aircraft flying low. It descended into a shallow valley well throttled back and about 30 feet up. The engine then fully opened up and the aircraft started to climb the slope on the other side of the valley. The Pilot apparently saw a high tree in front of the aircraft at the last moment, as the aircraft started to turn, but it hit the tree and crashed. The accident was considered due to unauthorised low flying.
The crew members of T6389 were:
Sergeant Stanley William Tabron (1621986) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Raymond Alexander Tuckwell (422063) (Second Pilot, Instructor)
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, 166/40/198
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line