LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer Neville Arthur WILSON
Service No: 420310
Born: Sydney NSW, 22 February 1915
Enlisted in the RAAF: 11 October 1941
Unit: No. 455 Squadron, RAF Station Leuchars
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 455 Squadron Beaufighter aircraft NE353), near Langham, 1 May 1944, Aged 29 Years
Buried: Cambridge City Cemetery, Cambridgeshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Arthur Edgar and Elsie May Wilson; Husband of Edith Winsome Wilson, of Northwood, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Tullamore NSW
Remembered: Panel 106, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 1 May 1944 aircrews of the Squadron carried out an intensive training programme of day navigation exercises and night bombing practice on Wooton range. Beaufighter NE353 experienced port engine failure after taking off and crash landed near Little Snoring aerodrome at 2350 hours. The Navigator made three attempts to drag the Pilot from the wreck, but failed owing to the heat and trees which had fallen on the aircraft. The Pilot was killed and the Navigator suffered burns to the face and was admitted to Ely hospital
The crew members of NE353 were:
Flight Sergeant T E Holmes GM (1559187) (RAFVR) (Navigator W) Injured
Pilot Officer Neville Arthur Wilson (420310) (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 Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/43/644
Bibliography:
Gordon, I. (Ian) Strike and Strike Again: 455 Squadron 1944-5, Banner Books Belconnen ACT 2616, 1995
Lawson, John Horwood Wightman (251634) The Story of No. 455 Squadron (RAAF), Wilke and Company, Melbourne VIC, 1951