LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer Raymond Thomas CASEY
Service No: 437196
Born: Port Broughton SA, 21 March 1923
Enlisted in the RAAF: 19 November 1942
Unit: No. 198 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Air Operations (No. 198 Squadron Typhoon aircraft SW472), Germany, 23 April 1945, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Becklingen War Cemetery, Soltau, Niedersachsen, Germany
CWGC Additional Information: Son of John Sarsfield Casey and Mary Elizabeth Casey, of Port Broughton, South Australia.
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 120, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
Blue and Green sections (4 aircraft in each section) took off at 0945 hours to attack a train west of Wallnofen. Green No 1 turned back and Pilot Officer Casey flying Green No. 3 took over the Section. The aircraft arrived over the target at 1020 hours and attacked through scattered cloud 5/10ths at 3,000 feet. Blue section attacked first after Green section had made a pass at the target without actually firing.
Considerable light anti-aircraft fire was encountered from the target area and after breaking away Blue Leader heard Casey call up seeking permission to carry out a further attack. Blue Leader told him not to attack again, but the Section was on its way down by then. After breaking and climbing, Green No 2 saw SW472 in a gentle gliding turn at about 1,500 feet and on fire. The aircraft crashed a little north of the target. Casey did not use his radio again and was he seen to bale out.
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 Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/7/969