LEST WE FORGET
Warrant Officer Robert Alexander DENHOLM
Service No: 408363
Born: Bellerive TAS, 8 November 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 30 January 1942
Unit: No. 450 Squadron
Died: Air Operations (No. 450 Squadron Kittyhawk aircraft FT858), near Casarza Italy, 21 February 1945, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Padua War Cemetery, Italy
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Peter Crichton Denholm and Una Mary Denholm; husband of Betty Marion Denholm, of Blackheath, London, England
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 105, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 21 February 1945, Kittyhawk FT858 flown by Warrant Officer Denholm was part of an eleven aircraft formation detailed to carry out a fighter bomber attack on a rail diversion at Casarza, Italy. The formation attacked from 9,000 feet diving down to 1,500 feet. Very accurate 88mm anti-aircraft fire was encountered in the target area. During its dive, the port tailplane of FT858 was seen to become detached, and at about 3,000 feet the aircraft was seen to be in an inverted position minus its wing and it crashed in flames killing Warrant Officer Denholm.
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, 166/9/544