LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Gordon Francis HIGHMAN
Service No: 407677
Born: Port Pirie SA, 16 October 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 10 December 1940
Unit: No. 14 Squadron (RAF), Landing Ground 116, Egypt
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 14 Squadron Blenheim aircraft Z7517), Egypt, 14 June 1942, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Herbert Leonard and Elsie Beatrice Highman, of Broadview, South Australia.
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Column 266, Alamein Memorial, Egypt
Remembered: Panel 124, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
Blenheim Z7517 of No. 14 Squadron crashed 15 kms south of Landing Ground C10 while carrying out night landing practice on 14 June 1942. The cause of the crash is not known, but a report states that it is presumed the attention of the pilot was distracted by flares and searchlights which were brought into operation as a result of an air raid warning. Following post war searches when the remains of the crew were not recovered from the graves in which they were buried in the desert, the search was abandoned in 1949 and it was recorded that the crew had no known grave.
The crew members of Z7517 were:
Sergeant Wilfred Leslie Carnie (407490) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Sergeant Gordon Francis Highman (407677) (Pilot)
Sergeant William Douglas Lynch (405109) (Observer)
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, 163/122/126
Bibliography:
Napier, Michael Winged Crusaders: the exploits of 14 Squadron RFC & RAF 1915-1945, Pen & Sword Books, Barnsley UK, 2012