LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Malcolm George WESTERN
Service No: 417917
Born: Glenelg SA, 16 December 1923
Enlisted in the RAAF: 18 July 1942
Unit: No. 576 Squadron (RAF), RAF Elsham Wolds, Lincolnshire
Died: Air Operations (No. 576 Squadron Lancaster aircraft DV382), Germany, 16 December 1943, Aged 20 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Hedley Noel and Dora Annie Western, of Marion, South Australia
Roll of Honour: Adelaide SA
Remembered: Panel 194, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey UK
Remembered: Panel 132, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
Lancaster DV382 of No 576 Squadron was detailed to operate against Berlin on the night of
16/17 December 1943. The aircraft left RAF Station Elsham Wolds at the appointed time, but nothing further was heard of the aircraft or crew. In 1947, a report from No 4 MREU, RAF (Germany) established that the aircraft crashed in the vicinity of Berlin-Lichtenberg. Investigations were carried out in the Berlin area and at Doeberitz-Elsgrund cemetery, about 16 kms west of Berlin. Despite exhaustive searches and interrogations of local authorities, it was not possible to obtain any information of actual location of crash. Exhumations at the Doeberitz-Elsgrund cemetery located 2 members of the crew but it could not be established whether the remainder of the crew were buried there.
The crew members of DV382 were:
Sergeant Jack Leslie Barrett (577074) (RAF) (Flight Engineer)
Flying Officer Geoffrey Livingstone Blackmore (422388) (Navigator)
Flight Sergeant Cyril Chapman (1425936) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Flight Sergeant Albert Alfred Harris (417837) (Air Gunner)
Flying Officer Ronald Stenhouse McAra (134095) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Sergeant Eric Russom (RAF) (1214848) (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Malcolm George Western (417917) (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 Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/43/454