LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Walter Frederick BLACKFORD
Service No: 425589
Born: Brisbane QLD, 10 May 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 25 April 1942
Unit: No. 21 Squadron (SAAF)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 21 Squadron Marauder aircraft HD477), Yugoslavia, 8 March 1945, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Belgrade War Cemetery, Serbia
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Ernest George Tobias Blackford and Georgina Amelia Blackford, of Northgate, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Brisbane QLD
Remembered: Panel 134, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On the 8 March 1945, Marauder HD477 crashed in Dignano, about 11 kms miles north of Pola in Yugoslavia. Two of the crew members were killed and the others survived the crash.
The crew members of HD477 were:
Sergeant E M Arthur (1850403) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner) Survived
Flying Officer Walter Frederick Blackford (425589) (Pilot)
Warrant Officer II N H Nelson (284246V) (SAAF) (Air Gunner) Survived
Warrant Officer William Herbert Richardson (419589) (Co-Pilot) Survived, Discharged from the RAAF: 23 January 1946
Sergeant David Steele Smith (1821494) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Lieutenant Smit (542306V) (SAAF) (Observer) Survived
In a later statement Warrant Officer Richardson reported: “Prior to my leaving the aircraft I was sitting next to Blackford who was at the controls holding the aircraft steady. Blackford was wearing his harness and chute. Shortly after Richardson left the aircraft the starboard wing broke off near the engine. This was also seen by Smit and Arthur. The aircraft then went into a spin. The first three baled out at about 7000 feet. In my case I baled out at about 4000 feet.”
Lieutenant Smit stated: “I landed one mile west of Marzana, and made to a spot where Richardson and Arthur had landed. The aircraft was completely destroyed. After about 15 minutes a farmer came up and took me to a bunker in the hills, gave me food, and told me to stay in the bunker.”
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, 166/5/1006