LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Walter Allan HEPWORTH
Service No: 406851
Born: Perth WA, 9 May 1918
Enlisted in the RAAF: 28 April 1941
Unit: No. 2 Squadron, Hughes NT
Died: Air Operations: (No. 2 Squadron Hudson aircraft A16-195), Timor, 9 July 1943, Aged 25 Years
Buried: Ambon War Cemetery, Indonesia
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Allan Eric and Margaret Hepworth; husband of Edith Ada Hepworth, of North Maidstone, Victoria, Australia.
Roll of Honour: Perth WA
Remembered: Panel 98, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Cenotaph Undercroft, State War Memorial, Kings Park WA
Remembered: Honour Avenues, Kings Park WA
On 9 July 1943 the new Commanding Officer, Squadron Leader Williams’ first operation was a four-aircraft raid back to Penfoei aerodrome led by Flight Lieutenant Sidney Austin DFC (260359) (Discharged: 1 July 1947) with Williams flying at the rear. The flight encountered abysmal weather approaching Timor, and although the other aircraft turned back, nothing more was heard from Williams and his crew. A16-195 crashed in the Noembena area of Dutch Timor, and all the crew members were killed.
The crew members of A16-195 were:
Flight Sergeant Donald Craig Farmer (416251) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flight Lieutenant Archibald McPherson Fowler (685) (Navigator Bomb Aimer)
Flying Officer Walter Allan Hepworth (406851) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flying Officer Robert Collyer Lindsey DFM (406218) (Wireless Air Gunner, Gunnery Leader)
Squadron Leader Cyril Clarence Williams (377) (Pilot)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Bennett, J. (John William) Highest Traditions: the history of No. 2 Squadron RAAF, Australian Government Publishing Service, 1995
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, 137
Bibliography:
Wilson, S. (Stewart) Anson, Hudson and Sunderland in Australian Service, Aerospace Publications Weston Creek ACT 2611, 1992