LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Ralph Allan DUTNEALL
Service No: 418083
Born: Hobart TAS, 4 June 1923
Enlisted in the RAAF: 25 April 1942 (at Melbourne VIC)
Unit: No. 453 Squadron
Died: Air Operations: (No. 453 Squadron Spitfire aircraft MJ503), near St Julien France, 27 July 1944, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Banneville-La-Compagne War Cemetery, Calvados, France
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Alan Robert and Elizabeth Victoria Lilian Dutneall, of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Melbourne VIC
Remembered: Panel 105, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 27 July 1944, Spitfire MJ503 flown by Flight Sergeant Dutneall was Yellow 2 in a four aircraft formation which was scrambled at 0730 hours to intercept bogies in the Caen area, France. The Section was told that enemy aircraft were flying south east from Caen very low down. The Section dived in an endeavour to make contact on the deck and met very heavy anti-aircraft fire near St Julien. MJ503 became separated from the formation and was heard calling his No. 1 on the radio and asking if he could see him. MJ503 was not seen or heard from again and failed to return to base. Also lost during this action were Warrant Officer Allan Harold John Harris (412513) and Warrant Officer Joseph Armstrong Boulton DFC (420544) (Discharged: 17 April 1946) who was safe behind allied lines.
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, 166/10/280