LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer Robert James PEGGS
Service No: 415913
Born: Pingelly WA, 21 February 1924
Enlisted in the RAAF: 29 March 1942
Unit: No. 77 Squadron (RAF), RAF Full Sutton, Yorkshire
Died: Air Operations (No. 77 Squadron Halifax aircraft LL138), France, 23 May 1944, Aged 20 Years
Buried: Seris Communal Cemetery, Loire-et-Cher, France
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Robert William and Pathama Alice Peggs, of Kalamunda, Western Australia.
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 128, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Cenotaph Undercroft, State War Memorial, Kings Park WA
Halifax LL138 took off from RAF Full Sutton at 2340 hours on the night of 22/23rd May
1944, detailed to bomb Railway facilities at Orleans, France. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base. The aircraft crashed at Seris (Loire-et-Cher), 23 kms north east of Blois, France. Four of the crew were killed and three became Prisoners of War, one of whom was injured and subsequently died.
The crew members of LL138 were:
Flying Officer Alvin Marshall Beatty (J/25737) (RCAF) (Air Bomber)
Warrant Officer G T Haworth (1062415) (RAFVR) (Pilot) PoW
Flight Sergeant Charles Thiepval Hale (1457196) (RAFVR) (Navigator) PoW, Died from injuries 22 June 1944
Sergeant Raymond George James (1601379) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Pilot Officer Robert James Peggs (415913) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Sergeant Reginald Alfred Rose (1874808) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Sergeant J D Taylor (1549741) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner) PoW
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, 166/32/393