LEST WE FORGET
Warrant Officer William John CARRIER
Service No: 425598
Born: Nambour QLD, 27 February 1923
Enlisted in the RAAF: 25 April 1942
Unit: No. 630 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station East Kirkby
Died: Air Operations: (No. 630 Squadron Lancaster aircraft ME650), Denmark, 27 August 1944, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Skarrild Churchyard, Denmark
CWGC Additional Information: Son of George Ernest and Ada Elizabeth Carrier, of Coorparoo, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 120, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 1958 hours on the night of the 26 August 1944, Lancaster ME650 took off from East Kirkby detailed to bomb Konigsburg, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take-off and it failed to return to base. The aircraft crashed at Skarrild, some 8 kms north east of Sonder Felding, Denmark, and all the crew members were killed.
The crew members of ME650 were:
Flight Lieutenant Evelyn George William Bowers (178512) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Warrant Officer William John Carrier (425598) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Pilot Officer Wilfred James Fingland (J/92132) (RCAF) (Navigator)
Sergeant Alan Ambrose Michael Langridge (1897749) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
Pilot Officer Burton McLauchlin (J/92133) (RCAF) (Air Bomber)
Sergeant Guy Raymond Stott (577047) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Sergeant Leslie Thompson (1125440) (RAFVR) (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, 166/7/616