LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Robert James UHRIG
Service No: 402011
Born: Cessnock NSW, 26 April 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 28 April 1940
Unit: No. 149 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Mildenhall
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 149 Squadron Wellington aircraft R1181), Suffolk, 10 April 1941, Aged 20 Years
Buried: Beck Row (St John) Churchyard, Suffolk
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Leslie Jacob and Margaret McPherson Uhrig, of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Hamilton NSW
Remembered: Panel 131, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Newcastle Boys High School Memorial Entrance World War II, Waratah NSW
At 1230 hours on 10 April 1941Wellington R1181 took off from Mildenhall on a training flight to
Bassingbourne. Soon after take-off the aircraft collided with trees and crashed, demolishing a cottage at Holmsey Green, near Mildenhall. Two of the crew members were killed and the others were injured.
The crew members of R1181 were:
Sergeant R L Clarke (40734) (RNZAF) (Air Gunner) Slightly Injured
Pilot Officer J H Fisher (number unavailable) (RAF) (Pilot) Seriously Injured
Sergeant C Ingleby (937625) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner) Slightly Injured
Sergeant H J F Kerr (R/53757) (RCAF) (Air Gunner) Slightly Injured
Sergeant John Kenneth Moseley (956949) (RAFVR) (Observer) Died of Injuries
Sergeant D C Smallbone (943828) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner) Seriously Injured
Sergeant Robert James Uhrig (402011) (Second Pilot) Died of Injuries
A court of Inquiry made findings into the accident as follows: “The Pilot did not make full use of the longest runway with the wind in the direction and at strength that day and had not made full use the flaps to assist take off. The aircraft reached a height of 20 feet after take-off and sank back to some 2 or 3 feet off the ground, and on being pulled up abruptly failed to gain sufficient height to clear the trees at the edge of the aerodrome.”
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, 163/174/1
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line