LEST WE FORGET
Squadron Leader Max Stanley BOTT MID
Service No: 260779
Born: Brisbane QLD. 16 April 1914
Enlisted in the RAAF: 4 March 1940 (at Mascot NSW)
Unit: No. 79 Squadron
Awarded the Mentioned in Despatches (MID)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 79 Squadron Spitfire aircraft A58-28), Momote, 16 April 1944, Aged 30 Years
Buried: the Lae War Cemetery PNG
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Percy Harold and Ethel Nellie Tresidder Bott; husband of Patricia Alice Bott, of Mosman, New South Wales
Roll of Honour: Sydney NSW
Remembered: Panel 104, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Manly ANZAC War Memorial, Manly NSW
On 16 April 1944, Squadron Leader Bott, a pilot, was killed in a taxying accident at Momote when the propeller of Spitfire A58-4 flown by Squadron Leader Nigel Minter Pilcher (260750) (Killed: 23 July 1945) destroyed Spitfire A28-58 at Kiriwina airstrip, Admiralty Islands. Squadron Leader Pilcher was seriously injured.
Both aircraft were taxying prior to take-off with A58-28 leading and commenced turning towards the runway intersection. A58-4 began its take-off roll believing that A58-28 had already taken-off and the port wing of A58-4 struck A58-28 on the rudder and sheared up the fuselage cutting off the top of the cockpit. The port wing of A58-4 was torn off and the aircraft turned onto its back in a port roll and landed about fifty yards further along the runway and skidded for another hundred yards.
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 A9845, 120
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line