LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Robert CROXTON-DAVIS
Service No: 412128
Born: Waverley NSW, 19 May 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 22 June 1941
Unit: No. 118 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Air Operations (No. 118 Squadron Spitfire aircraft W3901), off the Dutch Coast, 21 June 1943, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Robert and Ilma Raymond Croxton-Davis, of Edgecliffe, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Sydney NSW
Remembered: Panel 192, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey UK
Remembered: Panel 120, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 21 June 1943 Spitfire W3901 was Blue 4 in a formation of Spitfires detailed to attack enemy shipping off the Dutch coast between Den Helder and Egmond. No shipping was sighted between these two points, but a convoy was seen about 7 miles east of Texel. The Blue Section leader attacked the leading ship and W3901 was the last to attack. W3901 was hit by anti-aircraft fire following which black smoke and then fire was observed, and the aircraft was seen to crash into the sea. There was not sufficient height for a bale out to be made. In 1948 it was recorded that Flight Sergeant Croxton-Davis had lost his life at sea.
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, 166/9/113