LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Sydney John HOLDER
Service No: 416965
Born: Kadina SA, 19 June 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 8 November 1941
Unit: No. 271 Squadron (RAF), RAF Down Ampney, Gloucestershire
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 271 Squadron Dakota aircraft KG584), Surrey, 10 December 1944, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Cirencester Cemetery, Gloucestershire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Dr. Sydney Ernest Holder and Dorothy Lillian Holder, of Millswood, South Australia
Roll of Honour: Kadina SA
Remembered: Panel 124, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
On 10th December 1944, Dakota KG584 crashed at 1625 hours at Leith Hill, Surrey, about 10 miles south of East Guilford. The aircraft flew into the hill in low cloud, and all the crew were killed. A Court of Inquiry into the accident reported that: “the aircraft left B56 for Base, RAF Station Down Ampney, Cirencester, after having some temporary repairs made to the aircraft. Weather conditions were not good but were sufficient for this flight to be carried out. On nearing Gatwick, the aircraft was observed flying in and out of the base of the cloud. After failing to answer “Darky” calls from Gatwick, the aircraft disappeared into cloud and apparently commenced a right hand turn, and while doing so struck Leith Hill still in cloud.”
The crew members of KG584 were:
Pilot Officer Edward Gibson (186995) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Flying Officer Sydney John Holder (416965) (Navigator)
Flying Officer Robert McNeil Smith (155955) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator Air)
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, 166/18/565