LEST WE FORGET
Aircraftman Class 1 Henry John WEBBER
Service No: 20003
Born: Coraki NSW, 22 May 1914
Enlisted in the RAAF: 15 April 1940
Unit: No. 10 Squadron, RAF Station Pembroke Dock, Wales
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 10 Squadron Sunderland aircraft T 9072), Irish Sea, 5 December 1941, Aged 27 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Henry and Louisa Webber, of Ballina, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Ballina NSW
Remembered: Panel 63, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey
Remembered: Panel 100, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Rathmines Memorial Bowling Club, Rathmines NSW
On a flight from Oban to Pembroke Dock, Sunderland T9072 experienced engine problems and made a forced open-ocean landing in the Irish Sea and then sank almost immediately. Of the fifteen members on board, eleven were rescued by the MV Kilkenny and four were missing presumed dead.
On board T 9072 were:
Squadron Leader Edgar Bruce Courtney (O348) (Pilot) Discharged from the RAAF: 14 November 1969
Pilot Officer Gordon Alexander Edward Ferguson (404336) (Second Pilot) Injured, Discharged from the RAAF: 9 October 1945
Flying Officer Stanley Gordon Goddard (2059) (Observer) Injured, Discharged from the RAAF: 3 January 1946
Aircraftman Class 2 P G Instance (1375914) (RAFVR) (W/T Operator)
Aircraftman Class 1 Eric Wilfred Lee (22137) (Rigger/Tail Gunner) Discharged from the RAAF: 8 April 1946
Leading Aircraftman James Patrick Lynch (19081) (Armourer) Discharged from the RAAF: 16 October 1945
Leading Aircraftman Leo Meredith (A31266) (4292) (W/T Operator) Discharged from the RAAF: 24 February 1953
Corporal William Henry Nelson (3929) (Rigger) Discharged from the RAAF: 23 August 1946
Flight Lieutenant William Samuel Rea DFC (36181) (RAF) (Pilot) Missing presumed dead
Wing Commander Athol Xavier Richards (72) (Passenger) Discharged from the RAAF: 13 August 1946
Pilot Officer Colin William Steley DFC (O11332) (404554) (Third Pilot) Injured, Discharged from the RAAF: 5 March 1962
Corporal Stanley Russell Strang (4677) (First Fitter) Discharged from the RAAF: 11 July 1945
Flight Lieutenant Stuart Thomson (1292) (Doctor) (Supernumerary) Missing presumed dead
Flight Lieutenant Richard John Vaughan DFC (41499) (RAF) (Second Pilot) Missing presumed dead
Aircraftman Class 1 Henry John Webber (20003) (Second Fitter) Missing presumed dead
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
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, 163/177/181
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line
Bibliography:
Ashworth, N. (Norman) The ANZAC Squadron: A history of No. 461 Squadron RAAF 1942-5, Hesperian Press Victoria Park WA 6100, 1994
Baff, K.C (Kevin), Maritime is Number Ten, K.C. Baff Netley SA, 1983
Joubert, P.B. (Sir Phillip Bennet) Birds and Fishes: the story of Coastal Command, Hutchinson and Company London, 1960
Southall, I.F. (Ivan Francis) (418900) They Shall Not Pass Unseen, Angus and Robertson Sydney NSW, 1956
Wilson, S. (Stewart) Anson, Hudson and Sunderland in Australian Service, Aerospace Publications Weston Creek ACT 2611, 1992