LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Ralph Stanley WALLWORK MID
Service No: 400360
Born: Manchester, England, 4 October 1916
Enlisted in the RAAF: 18 August 1940 (at Melbourne VIC)
Awarded the Mentioned in Despatches (MID)
Unit: No. 142 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Binbrook
Died: Injuries from Air Operations (No. 142 Squadron Wellington aircraft W6469), England, 24 July 1941, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Salford (Weaste) Cemetery, Lancashire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Ralph and Alice Wallwork, of Elsternwick, Victoria, Australia
Roll of Honour: Caulfield VIC
Remembered: Panel 132, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 1135 hours on 24 July1941Wellington W6494 took off from Binbrook to take part as one of a formation of three aircraft to take part in a daylight attack on Brest, France. The aircraft reached and bombed the target. Soon after leaving the target W6494 was intercepted by two Me109Fs. The first enemy aircraft attacked, and the Sergeant Wallwork, the rear gunner of W6494 gave him two 3 second bursts and the enemy was seen by the second Pilot and Observer to dive away and hit the ground. The second enemy aircraft then attacked, and Wallwork engaged it with a continuous burst until he was heard to cry out. and cease firing. The front gunner of W6494 engaged this aircraft which was seen to dive into the sea from 1,600 feet. The Captain of the aircraft then called on each member of the crew to ascertain what damage had been done, and asked Sergeant Wallwork whether he was alright. He replied “Yes, I am OK”, and did not want to be relieved of his turret. The Second Pilot and the Observer were also wounded during the engagement and the aircraft badly damaged. On making an emergency landing at Yeovilton, it was found that Sergeant Wallwork had been mortally wounded and he died within a few hours. Sergeant Wallwork was awarded the MID for his actions.
The crew members of W6469 were:
Pilot Officer D J Browne (RAF) (Second Pilot)
Sergeant Hugh Lincoln Fyfe (400016) (Observer) Discharged from the RAAF: 10 September 1945
Flying Officer W St C McNeilly DFC (RAF) (Pilot)
Sergeant C Micjlewaite (990185) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant L Phillips (1325179) (RAFVR) (Front Gunner)
Sergeant Ralph Stanley Wallwork MID (400360) (Rear 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 Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/176/131