LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Kent Morgan WATKINS
Service No: 425689
Born: Brisbane QLD, 10 April 1923
Enlisted in the RAAF: 25 April 1942
Unit: No. 3 Squadron
Died: Air Operations: (No. 3 Squadron Kittyhawk aircraft FL332), Italy, 17 March 1944, Aged 20 Years
Buried: Ancona War Cemetery, Italy
CWGC Additional Information: Son of John Gruffydd Thomas Watkins and Mabel Gwendoline Watkins, of Lutwyche, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 98, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 17 March 1944, Kittyhawk FL332 flown by Flying Officer Watkins was flying Red 2 in a formation of 12 aircraft detailed to bomb a railway bridge in Temi Italy. On the way to the target, FL332 left the formation and headed towards the coast. Flying Officer Watkins reported that his engine was failing and he thought he would have to bale out. He was thought to have baled out about 10 miles north of Aquila and one of the aircraft in the formation turned back and searched for over 60 minutes, but was unable to find any trace of the aircraft.
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, 166/43/561