LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Ralph Ernest WARREN
Service No: 404899
Born: London, England, 20 September 1919
Enlisted in the RAAF: 6 December 1940 (at Brisbane QLD)
Unit: No. 106 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 106 Squadron Manchester aircraft L7418), off the Welsh Coast, 19 May 1942, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Harry Ernest and Eveline Eliza Warren, of Waverley, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Rockhampton QLD
Remembered: Panel 113, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey UK
Remembered: Panel 132, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Commonwealth Bank of Australia Honour Rolls, Sydney NSW
At 1455 hours on 19 May 1942 Manchester L7418 of took off on a day cross country exercise. The route was Base – Aberystwyth – Lands End – Hurn – Base. The last message received from the aircraft was at 1703 hours asking if there were any instructions. They did not appear in any difficulty. At the time the estimated position was off Land’s End, Cornwall. The aircraft failed to return to base, and after it became overdue the air sea rescue was informed. It was later recorded that the missing crew members had lost their lives at sea.
The crew members of L7418 were:
Sergeant Frank Chapman (1056809) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator)
Sergeant Kenneth John Gill (938995) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant Alexander Joseph McHardy (1367218) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Ralph Ainsworth Post (R/86124) (RCAF) (Second Pilot)
Sergeant Ralph Ernest Warren (404899) (Navigator Bomb Aimer)
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, 163/176/273
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line