LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Sidney Edward CHRISTIE
Service No: 423650
Born: Oatley NSW, 21 June 1916
Enlisted in the RAAF: 18 July 1942
Unit: No. 1661 Conversion Unit (RAF), RAF Station Winthorpe
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 1661 Conversion Unit Stirling aircraft EF127), Sherwood Forest, 26 February 1944, Aged 27 Years
Buried: Oxford (Botley) Cemetery, Oxfordshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Sidney Francis and Louisa Mahalia Christie; husband of Lillian Christie, of Bankstown, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Bankstown NSW
Remembered: Panel 120, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 1830 hours on the night of 25 February 1944, Stirling EF127 took off from Winthorpe for a night cross-country training. It appeared likely that the aircraft ran short of petrol as shortly before the crash at 0130 hours, a “Mayday” call was picked up, but despite a clear broadcast response no acknowledgement was received. Later the aircraft was found crashed near the village of Edwinsowe at the northern edge of the Sherwood Forest. Five of the crew members were killed and two were injured.
The crew members of EF127 were:
Flight Sergeant Campbell David Bird (418048) (Navigator)
Flight Sergeant Sidney Edward Christie (423650) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant George Davison (1677871) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Flight Sergeant George Macoun (426127) (Air Bomber)
Flight Sergeant William Victor Manuel (401986) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Reginald John Plath (429481) (Air Gunner) Injured, Discharged from the RAAF: 31 January 1946
Flight Sergeant William Irving Taylor (434558) (Gunner) Injured, Killed on Air Operations: 23 May 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 A9301, 423650