LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Falkner Cotton YOUNG
Service No: 404354
Born: Toowoomba QLD, 15 October 1917
Enlisted in the RAAF: 16 August 1940
Unit: No. 220 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Nutts Corner, Antrim
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 220 Squadron Hudson aircraft AM615), Northern Ireland, 1 February 1942, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Killead (St Catherine) Church of Ireland Churchyard, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
CWGC Additional Information: Son of William Vivian and Grace May Young, of Condamine, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Charleville QLD
Remembered: Panel 133, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 1 February 1942 Hudson AM615 took off from Nutts Corner with the Pilot instructed to carry out low level attack exercises against troops. The aircraft crashed at 1120 hours and all the crew members were killed. At the time the weather was poor with low cloud and rain.
The crew members of AM615 were:
Sergeant Kenneth Horton (1260890) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant George Ireland (622635) (RAF) (Pilot)
Sergeant Colin Robert Morley (1170683) (RAFVR) (Second Pilot)
Sergeant Ronald Charles Walker (751141) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Wallace Harold Mace Watts (1209099) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Falkner Cotton Young (404354) (Observer)
A report on the flying accident later reported: “the accident was caused by dangerous flying due to the Pilot carrying out the instructions to the extreme. Two pilots were the normal crew.” The Commanding Officer of RAF Station Nutts Corner stated: “the accident was due to over keenness and to take full advantage of the opportunity to fly low.” The Air Vice Marshal Group Commander stated: “I concur in the CO’s remarks. I am satisfied the crew were adequately briefed for the exercise and the accident was the result of over keenness rather than lack of flying discipline. The deceased pilot was the only individual who could be considered to blame for the accident.”
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, 163/1811/55