LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Bruce Edward WIGLEY
Service No: 432924
Born: Grafton NSW, 29 September 1924
Enlisted in the RAAF: 30 January 1943
Unit: No. 21 (Pilot) Advanced Flying Unit (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 21 (Pilot) Advanced Flying Unit Oxford aircraft LX513), Staffordshire, 28 August 1944, Aged 19 Years
Buried: Chester (Blacon) Cemetery, Cheshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Albert Edward John and Muriel Wigley, of Grafton New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Grafton NSW
Remembered: Panel 132, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Avenue of Trees Memorial, Grafton NSW
On 28 August 1944, Oxford LX513 flown by Flight Sergeant Wigley took off on a solo non-operational night flight and crashed at Tatenhill, at 0200 hours, 1.5 miles west of the RAF Stafford airfield, killing him. On completion of the night flying detail, the pilot asked for and was given permission to rejoin the circuit. Before he landed there was a complete failure of the airfield lighting, and he was asked to remain airborne until an emergency flare path was laid. When coming in to land on the emergency flare path, he decided to go around again. The aircraft was observed to clear the runway at about 200 feet, and it then dived into the ground.
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, 166/43/831
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line