LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer William Morgan BABOUR
Service No: 414380
Born: Chinchilla QLD, 26 July 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 14 September 1941
Unit: No. 455 Squadron, RAF Station Langham
Died: Air Operations: (No. 455 Squadron Beaufighter aircraft NE348), off the German Coast, 6 July 1944, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Walter Colin and Phyllis Irene Barbour, of Ingham, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Brisbane QLD
Remembered: Panel 257, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey UK
Remembered: Panel 106, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Beaufighter NE348 took off from RAF Langham at 1907 hours on 6 July 1944 on an armed reconnaissance. Ten aircraft from the Squadron took part in the recce and two of these including NE348 failed to return. At 2100 hours while on patrol off Nordeney, Germany, a convoy of 10 motor vessels in two columns escorted by 7 mine sweepers and trawlers was sighted. Intense heavy and light flak was experienced but cannon and rocket attacks were carried out. From photos it was considered that a motor vessel of 5/7000 tons was left sinking and a motor vessel of 2/3000 tons and 2 mine sweepers on fire. NE348 was seen by Aircraft ‘Z’ to fall into the sea with its tail shot off and both the crew members were killed
The crew members of NE348 were:
Flying Officer William Morgan Barbour (414380) (Pilot)
Flying Officer Frederick George Dodd (152529) (RAFVR) (Navigator Wireless)
No. 455 Squadron lost Beaufighter LZ194 (Pilot Officer John Costello (421312) (Pilot)) on 6 July 1944.
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 A705, 166/5/604
Bibliography:
Gordon, I. (Ian) Strike and Strike Again: 455 Squadron 1944-5, Banner Books Belconnen ACT 2616, 1995
Lawson, John Horwood Wightman (251634) The Story of No. 455 Squadron (RAAF), Wilke and Company, Melbourne VIC, 1951