LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Dudley Howard DOWNS
Service No: 2464
Born: Adelaide SA, 19 January 1917
Enlisted in the RAAF: 26 October 1936 (at RAAF Station Laverton VIC)
Unit: No. 23 Squadron, Archerfield QLD
Died: Air Operations (No. 23 Squadron Hudson A16-27), off the Queensland Coast, 12 August 1940, Aged 23 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Howard and Bertha Downs; husband of Rose Dulcie Downs, of Klemzig, South Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 6, Sydney Memorial, Rookwood NSW
Remembered: Panel 101, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
On 12 August 1940, Hudson A16-27 went missing on an over water navigation exercise flight. This aircraft was one of three Hudsons received by the Squadron on 6 August 1940. The loss of A16-27 incurred No. 23 Squadron’s first wartime casualties. The crew members were:
Pilot Officer Walter Keith Beeston (615) (Second Pilot)
Sergeant Dudley Howard Downs (2464) (Wireless Operator)
Flying Officer Mervyn Stephen Matthews (382) (Pilot)
Sergeant Hamilton James O’Gorman (2545) (Supernumerary Second Pilot)
Leading Aircraftman George Leslie Savage (3746) (Flight Rigger)
Aircraftman Class 1 Francis John Starr (5085) (Wireless Operator)
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 A9845, 134
Bibliography:
Wilson, S. (Stewart) Anson, Hudson and Sunderland in Australian Service, Aerospace Publications Weston Creek ACT 2611, 1992