LEST WE FORGET

Flight Sergeant Walter Richard VOKES

Service No: 417537
Born: Goodwood SA, 22 August 1923
Enlisted in the RAAF: 23 May 1942
Unit: No. 614 Squadron (RAF), Stornara, Italy
Died: Air Operations (No. 614 Squadron Halifax aircraft JP287), Austria, 6 July 1944, Aged 20 Years
Buried: Klagenfurt War Cemetery, Austria
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Robert and May Vokes, of Goodwood, South Australia.
Roll of Honour: Unley SA
Remembered: Panel 131, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide

At 2115 hours on 6 July 1944, Halifax JP287 took off, detailed to bomb Feuersbrunn aerodrome near Vienna, Austria. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base. The aircraft crashed at Innerhalbach on the 6th July after being attacked by enemy night fighters. All the crew members were killed.

The crew members of JP287 were:

Sergeant Percy Charles Dolman (1576699) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Flying Officer Maurice George Harrison (127902) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Sergeant Norman Harold Hodson (1046507) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Warrant Officer Arthur William Pryor (415679) (Air Gunner)
Flying Officer Glyn Davidson Rees (139883) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Squadron Leader Alfred Sudden (114771) (RAFVR) (Visual Air Bomber)
Flight Sergeant Walter Richard Vokes (417537) (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 Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/42/75

Book Now Book Now