LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Colin Leslie HANNA
Service No: 407642
Born: North Gumeracha SA, 14 May 1915
Enlisted in the RAAF: 7 December 1940
Unit: No. 214 Squadron (RAF), RAF Stradishall, Suffolk
Died: Air Operations (No. 214 Squadron Stirling aircraft R9356), Germany, 20 September 1942, Aged 27 Years
Buried: Durnbach War Cemetery, Bad Tolz, Bayern, Germany
CWGC Additional Information: Son of William Leslie and Elsie I. Hanna, of North Gumeracha, South Australia
Roll of Honour: Gumeracha SA
Remembered: Panel 123, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
Stirling R9356 took off from RAF Stradishall at 2020 hours on the night of 19/20th September 1942, detailed to bomb Munich, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base. The aircraft crashed at Hader and four of the crew members were killed and three became Prisoners of War.
The crew members of R 9356 were:
Warrant Officer II Russell Thomas Joshua Collett (R/77329) (RCAF) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flying Officer G W Findlay (J/15422) (RCAF) (Air Gunner) PoW
Sergeant Colin Leslie Hanna (407642) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant James Holland (948335) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Warrant Officer P J McNamara (908211) (RAFVR) (Pilot) PoW
Flight Sergeant W M Thompson (R/72183) (RCAF) (Air Gunner) PoW
Flying Officer Clifford John Whittingham (46402) (RAF) (Navigator)
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 Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/120/588