LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Bruce Clifford BURKE
Service No: 411993
Born: Parkes NSW, 6 January 1919
Enlisted in the RAAF: 21 June 1941
Unit: No. 7 Service Flying Training School, Deniliquin NSW
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 7 Service Flying Training School Wirraway aircraft A20-333), near Wanganella NSW, 26 August 1942, Aged 23 Years
Buried: Macquarie Park Cemetery and Crematorium, NSW
CWGC Additional Information: Son of James Eric Burke and Rita Nora Burke, of Clovelly; husband of Gwendoline June Burke, of Burwood
Roll of Honour: Randwick NSW
Remembered: Panel 115, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 1345 hours on 26 August 1942, Wirraways A20-333 and A20-342 collided in mid-air and crashed five miles North West of Wanganella, New South Wales, and both crews were killed.
The crew members of A20-333 were:
Sergeant Bruce Clifford Burke (411993) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Gordon Balmoral Willcocks (411081) (Pilot)
The crew members of A20-342 were:
Sergeant David Neil Cullen (405723) (Pilot)
Sergeant Alan Donald Woods (413812) (Wireless Air Gunner)
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, 163/94/266; A9845, 174