LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer David Maxwell CRAWFORD
Service No: 411751
Born: Katoomba NSW, 20 March 1915
Enlisted in the RAAF: 25 May 1941
Unit: No. 4 Service Flying Training School, Geraldton WA
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 4 Service Flying Training School Anson aircraft R3550) at Georgina Satellite Airfield near Geraldton WA, 21 July 1943, Aged 28 Years
Buried: Geraldton War WA
CWGC Additional Information: Son of William Alexander and Janet Crawford, of Burwood, New South Wales.
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 115, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Anson R3550 crashed on taking off at GEORGINA at about 1545 hours. Aircraft total loss. Killed Flight Lieutenant Nitschke and No. 427845, Leading Aircraftman Clarke trainee. Subsequently died of injuries – Flying Officer Crawford and No. 429693 Leading Aircraftman Chester, I., trainee. Slightly injured – No. 436394, LAC BIRD, J.P.
No. 4 Service Flying Training School Operations Record Book (A50) Entry dated 21 July 1943
At a very late stage of takeoff the aircraft was pulled up steeply near a flight hut on the south boundary. I could see a large dead tree ahead and the aircraft collided with it removing the right-hand tailplane and elevator. Subsequently the aircraft assumed an almost vertical climb before doing a stall turn type manoeuvre and diving vertically into the ground.
Extract of John Bird’s account of the accident related in Brenkley, D.J. (Doug J.) RAAF Historical Record of No. 4 Service Flying Training School Geraldton WA, D.J. Brenkley, 2007 – page 304
The crew members of R 3550 were:
Leading Aircraftman John Playne Bird (A5864) (436394) Slightly Injured, Discharged from the RAAF: 11 March 1954
Leading Aircraftman Ivan Isadore Chester (429693) Died of Injuries
Leading Aircraftman Lawrence Henry Clarke (427845) Killed in Crash
Flying Officer David Maxwell Crawford (411751) Died of Injuries
Flight Lieutenant Clemence Frederich Nitschke (407300) (Pilot) Killed in Crash
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
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, 166/8/168