LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Vivian John WATSON
Service No: 403205
Born: Chatswood NSW, 11 September 1912
Enlisted in the RAAF: 11 December 1940
Unit: No. 61 Squadron (RAF), Detachment RAF Station St Eval (supporting Coastal Command)
Died: Air Operations (No. 61 Squadron Lancaster aircraft R5543), off Cabanas, Spain, 29 August 1942, Aged 29 Years
Buried: Bilbao British Cemetery, Spain
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Frederick William and Lilian May Watson, of Caroda, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Bingara NSW
Remembered: Panel 132, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 1155 hours on 29 August 1942 Lancaster R5543 took off from St Eval detailed to carry out an anti-submarine patrol. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take-off and it failed to return to base. The aircraft crashed at Cabanas, Spain and all seven crew members were killed.
The crew members of R5543 were:
Sergeant Harold Allen (1058478) (RAFVR) (Temporary Air Bomber/Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Thomas Lindsay Boland (41566) (RNZAF) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Pilot Officer John Henry Harrad (112752) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Sergeant Richard Henry Linton (777683) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
Pilot Officer John Emmett Madson (J/8950) (RCAF) (Second Pilot)
Pilot Officer Thomson Lawrie Wilson (J/8129) (RCAF) (Navigator)
Sergeant Vivian John Watson (4003205) (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 Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/176/354