LEST WE FORGET
Warrant Officer Kenneth AVERILL
Service No: 406429
Born: Perth WA, 16 May 1914
Enlisted in the RAAF: 9 December 1940
Unit: No. 5 Service Flying Training School, Uranquinty NSW
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 5 Service Flying Training School Wirraway aircraft A20-440), near Wagga Wagga NSW, 1 March 1943, Aged 28 Years
Buried: Wagga Wagga General Cemetery NSW
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Lily Averill, of West Perth, Western Australia.
Roll of Honour: Meckering WA
Remembered: Panel 115, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Cenotaph Undercroft, State War Memorial, Kings Park WA
On 1 March 1943, Wirraway aircraft A20-131 and A20-440 collided 16 kms north west of Wagga Wagga. The crew members were:
A20-440
Warrant Officer Keith Averill (406429) (Pilot) Fatally injured in the collision
Leading Aircraftman William Trevor Utting (426785) (Student) Uninjured, Successfully landed A20-440, Discharged from the RAAF: 12 November 1945
A20-131
Flying Officer Ralph Russell O’Berg (411369) (Pilot) Baled Out, Uninjured, Discharged from the RAAF: 23 November 1945
Leading Aircraftman Leslie William Rayner (426913) (Student) Baled Out, parachute opened late, Killed
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, 173