LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Arthur Reginald WILLS
Service No: 402430
Born: Mudgee NSW, 9 September 1919
Enlisted in the RAAF: 19 August 1940
Unit: No. 458 Squadron, RAF Station Holme-upon-Spalding Moor, Yorkshire
Died: Air Operations: (No. 458 Squadron Wellington aircraft AD 539), near Malta, 16 February 1942, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Carlton and Hermione Mildred Wills, of Redfern, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Wingham NSW
Remembered: Panel 113, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey UK
Remembered: Panel 106, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Wingham Memorial Town Hall, Wingham NSW
On 14th February 1942 No. 458 Squadron was transferred from RAF Bomber Command to Middle East Command. On 15th February 1942 Wing Commander Mulholland commenced the ferrying out of aircraft and crews and led the first formation of four aircraft.
Wellington AD 539 was shot down into the sea east of Sicily by enemy aircraft while in transit from Stanton Harcourt to the Middle East. AD 539 overshot Malta and signalled it was being attacked by enemy aircraft when 30 miles from the island. The crew drowned with the exception of the Rear Gunner who became a Prisoner of War of the Italians.
The crew members of AD 539 were:
Sergeant James Edward Andrews (619953) (RAF) (Front Gunner)
Sergeant Edward Anstee (1007177) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Flight Lieutenant Leonard Arthur Brain DFC (88216) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Wing Commander Norman George Mulholland DFC (RAF) (34098) (Pilot) Commanding Officer No. 458 Squadron
Flying Officer John William Willis-Richards (46311) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner) (Squadron Gunnery Leader) PoW
Sergeant Arthur Reginald Wills (402430) (Second Pilot)
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, 163/178/170
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line
Bibliography:
Alexander, P. (Peter) We Find and Destroy: history of No. 458 Squadron, The 458 Squadron Council, 1959