LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer William Robert Edward ALEXANDER
Service No: 405961
Born: Brisbane QLD, 6 April 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 17 July 1941
Unit: No. 1 Rescue and Communications Squadron, Port Moresby
Died: Aircraft Accident: (No. 1 Rescue and Communications Squadron Dragon aircraft A34-40), Milne Bay PNG, 16 June 1943, Aged 23 Years
Buried: Port Moresby (Bomana) War Cemetery PNG
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Reginald Crawford Alexander and Mary Alice Alexander; husband of Lesley Alexander, of Kirribilli, New South Wales
Roll of Honour: Sydney NSW
Remembered: Panel 111, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At about 0800 hours on 16 June 1943, Dragon A34-40 crashed at Milne Bay 10 kms north east of Gurney airfield on an operational transport flight. The aircraft appeared to have become caught in a downdraught on the lee side of a ridge and was unable to climb clear. On board were:
Flying Officer William Robert Edward Alexander (405961) (Pilot)
Colonel Lee (US Army) (Base Engineers) (Passenger) Slightly injured
Master Sergeant Rudolph George (US Army) (Passenger) Slightly injured
Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Thomson McLean (VX190) (Australian Army) (6th Division) (Passenger) Slightly injured, Discharged from the Army: 15 February 1946
Major Whitcombe (US Army) (Base Engineers) (Passenger) Slightly injured
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A9845, 212