LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant William John HALLIDAY MID
Service No: 406244
Born: West Leederville WA, 2 September 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 7 October 1940
Unit: No. 450 Squadron, Gambut Main, Egypt
Awarded the Mentioned in Despatches (MID)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 450 Squadron Kittyhawk aircraft AK659), Libya, 13 June 1942, Aged 20 Years
Buried: Knightsbridge Cemetery, Acroma, Libya
CWGC Additional Information: Son of William Henry and Elizabeth Halliday, of Wembley, Western Australia
Roll of Honour: Perth WA
Remembered: Panel 105, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Cenotaph Undercroft, State War Memorial, Kings Park WA
No. 450 Squadron provided six aircraft to cover eight from No. 112 Squadron (RAF, operating P-40 Kittyhawk aircraft) on a ground attack operation in the Sidi Rezegh (near Tobruk, Libya) area. On the way to their target they encountered twelve Ju88s escorted by twelve Bf109s of I/JG 27. A further twenty fighters from Nos. 2, 4 and 5 Squadrons (South African Air Force) were scrambled to intercept this raid, but the Germans shot down one 112 Squadron aircraft and three from 450 before reinforcements arrived. One of the South African aircraft was heavily damaged and crash landed at base. … The South Africans balanced the scale to some extent by claiming two MC202s and two Bf109s. 450’s losses were Sergeant William John Halliday (406244) and Sergeant Roy Stone (1258632) (RAF) in Kittyhawk aircraft AK952, who were both killed. Pilot Officer Osborne (1) (in Kittyhawk aircraft AL 106) crash landed and was picked up by the army.
(1) Flight Lieutenant John Carlisle Osborne (403369) was discharged from the RAAF on 29 October 1945.
Extract from Brown, R. (Russell) Desert Warriors Australian P-40 Pilots at War in the Middle East and North Africa 1941-1943, Banner Books Maryborough QLD 4652, 2000 – Page 124
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 A705, 163/120/412