LEST WE FORGET
Flight Lieutenant David James FLETCHER
From Australia serving in the Royal Air Force
Service No: 41166 (RAF)
Born: Lowood QLD, 4 October 1913
Enlisted in the RAF: Date unavailable
Unit: No. 201 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 201 Squadron Sunderland II aircraft W3998), Plymouth, 21 December 1941, Aged 28 Years
Buried: Pennycomequick Cemetery, Plymouth
CWGC Additional Information: Son of David Fletcher and of Esther Amy Fletcher (nee Witheford); Nephew of Gertrude Fletcher, of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Of Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Commemorative Roll, Australian War Memorial, Canberra
At 0420 hours on 21 December 1941, Sunderland W3998 crashed on take-off 200 yards from the Breakwater Fort at Plymouth, Devon. Eleven on board were killed and four injured.
The crew members of W3998 were:
Aircraftman Class I Kenneth William Bennett (652800) (RAF)
Sergeant Booth (RAF) Injured
Aircraftman Class I Robert Cunningham (1127606) (RAFVR)
Leading Aircraftman James Wallace Douglas (632860) (RAF) (Canadian)
Flight Lieutenant David James Fletcher (41166) (RAF) (Pilot)
Leading Aircraftman John Burnett Hides (938541) (RAFVR)
Pilot Officer Ince (RAF) Injured
Sergeant Lodge (RAF) Injured
Corporal John Humphrey Martin (568015) (RAF)
Flight Sergeant Herbert Frederick Mitchell (751120) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant Penny (RAF) Injured
Aircraftman Class II James Robinson (1030192) (RAFVR)
Sergeant Herbert Leslie Southall (956331) (RAFVR)
Leading Aircraftman John Hay Wallace (967483) (RAFVR)
Aircraftman Class II William Watson (1137037) (RAFVR)
References:
Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
McNeill, Ross RAF Coastal Command Loses of the Second World War Volume 1 Aircraft and Aircrew Losses 1939-1941, Midland Publications UK, 2003