LEST WE FORGET
Warrant Officer Peter Henry WALES
Service No: 427963
Born: Subiaco WA, 5 February 1923
Enlisted in the RAAF: 11 October 1942
Unit: No. 149 Squadron (RAF), RAF Methwold, Norfolk
Died: Air Operations: Spring 1945 (No. 149 Squadron Lancaster aircraft NN708), Germany, 2 February 1945, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Hanover War Cemetery, Hannover, Niedersachsen, Germany
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Harry and Olive Wales, of Hollywood, Western Australia.
Roll of Honour: Perth WA
Remembered: Panel 131, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Cenotaph Undercroft, State War Memorial, Kings Park WA
Lancaster NN708 took off from RAF Methwold at 2031 hours on the night of 2 February 1945, detailed to bomb Wiesbaden, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base. The aircraft crashed at Niederbrechen town on the main road between Limburg and Bad Camberg, Germany. Five of the crew were killed and three became Prisoners of War.
The crew members of NN708 were:
Sergeant John Charles Botting (190518) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Sergeant Cecil Stanley Bowers (1896336) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant F Bryant (1232607) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner) PoW
Flight Lieutenant Lyle Ewart Button (421157) (Pilot)
Flying Officer F M G Harrison (154293) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber) PoW
Wing Commander Leslie Herbert Kay DFC (78866) (RAFVR) (Second Pilot) (Commanding Officer No. 149 Squadron)
Sergeant H Omerod (1549430) (RAFVR) (Navigator) PoW
Warrant Officer Peter Henry Wales (427963) (Wireless Operator 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, 166/43/1127