LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Cecil Glen ARTHUR
Service No: 429902
Born: Booleroo Centre SA, 15 January 1924
Enlisted in the RAAF: 10 October 1942
Unit: No. 101 Squadron (RAF), RAF Ludford Magna, Lincolnshire
Died: Air Operations (No. 101 Squadron Lancaster aircraft ME558), France, 15 March 1944, Aged 20 Years
Buried: Mussig Churchyard, Bas-Rhin, France
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Cecil Clarence and Anne Arthur, of Booleroo Centre, South Australia.
Roll of Honour: Adelaide SA
Remembered: Panel 118, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
Lancaster ME558 took off from RAF Ludford Magna at 1900 hours on the night of 15/16th March 1944, detailed to carry out ABC duties (Air Borne Cigar – jamming transmitter carried by No. 101 Squadron Lancasters to monitor and jam German night fighters using Lichtenstein radar sets) at Stuttgart, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base. A Missing Research & Enquiry team late reported “the aircraft burst into flames presumably as a result of enemy action and crashed at Hilsenhein, which is 36 kms south west of Strasbourg, France.” All the crew of eight were killed.
The crew members of ME558 were:
Flight Sergeant Cecil Glen Arthur (429902) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Sergeant Joseph Bagnall Bull (1806789) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner) (Specialist ABC Equipment Operator)
Pilot Office James Clegg (171637) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Sergeant Edward Andrew Cunningham (1339759) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Sergeant John Frederick Ennis (1582755) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Sergeant Robert Liderth (2208850) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
Sergeant Lawrence Rex Melbourne (1493493) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator Air)
Sergeant Victor Jack Pickford (1339536) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
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, 166/4/106