LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Bruce Price WILLIAMS
Service No: 410024
Born: South Melbourne VIC, 23 April 1923
Enlisted in the RAAF: 7 November 1941
Unit: No. 85 Squadron, Guildford WA
Died: Illness, resulting an Aircraft Accident (No. 85 Squadron Boomerang aircraft A46-84 on 22 May 1943) Guildford WA, 28 May 1943, Aged 20 years
Buried: Karrakatta War Cemetery WA
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Samuel George and Stella Williams, of Brimin, Victoria.
Roll of Honour: Rutherglen VIC
Remembered: Panel 104, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Boomerang aircraft A46-83 piloted by 410024 SGT. WILLIAMS B.P. whilst in the course of run preparatory to take-off, swung off runway hit a tree and burst into flames when coming to rest, the Pilot suffered from second degree burns and was admitted to 110 A.G.H. HOLLYWOOD WA.
No. 85 Squadron Operations Record Book A50 Entry dated 22 May 1943
410024 SGT. WILLIAMS B.P. died at 1900 hours Western Standard Time at 110 A.G.H. (Australian General Hospital) HOLLYWOOD of pneumonia, following second degree burns received in aircraft accident on 22/5/1943.
No. 85 Squadron Operations Record Book A50 Entry dated 28 May 1943
A Boomerang piloted by Sgt B.P. Williams swung on take-off, hit a tree and burnt. The fuel cap coming off when the aircraft impacted the tree, the fuel being splashed onto the hot exhaust, caused the fire. The pilot, who was badly burned, apologized to the CO, who was present. Unfortunately he died in hospital six days later from pneumonia.
Extract from Mitchell, A. (Alan) The Flying Inventor: the autobiography of an RAAF ground engineer, inventor and later pilot, Alan Mitchell, Woodlands WA, 2000 – page 83
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
Metropolitan Cemeteries Board (Perth) On-Line Records
National Archives of Australia On-Line Records A9845, 144; A705, 166/43/199
Bibliography:
Wilson, S. (Stewart) Wirraway, Boomerang and CA-15 in Australian Service, Aerospace Publications Weston Creek ACT 2611, 1991