LEST WE FORGET
Squadron Leader Kenneth Victor INGHAM DFC
Service No: 406456
Born: Albany WA, 6 March 1918
Enlisted in the RAAF: 9 December 1940
Unit: No. 230 Squadron (RAF), Koggala Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), 2 January 1945 (Citation Title: For service in operational missions in the Middle East and Africa)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 230 Squadron Sunderland aircraft JM673), Ceylon area, 28 November 1944, Aged 26 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Frederick Ingham, and of Henrietta Ingham, of Carlisle, Western Australia.
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Column 443, Singapore Memorial, Singapore
Remembered: Panel 124, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Cenotaph Undercroft, State War Memorial, Kings Park WA
DFC Citation: Squadron Leader Ingham has served with his present unit for three years. He has taken part in operational missions in the Middle East, East Africa and South East Asia. Though considerable maintenance difficulties have been experienced, this officer has never failed to set a fine example to air crew and ground crew alike by his enthusiasm and interest in his allotted task.
On 28th November, a Sunderland flying-boat of No. 230 Squadron, captained by Squadron Leader Ingham and carrying Flying Officer Sydney Leslie Cary (412393) in its crew, failed to return to base from an anti-submarine patrol and its crew was posted missing.
Odgers, G. (George) (VX127783) Air War Against Japan 1943-1945, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1957 – Page 416
Sunderland JM673 of 230 Squadron took off from Koggala at 0645 hours on 28 November 1944 for an anti submarine patrol off the East coast of Ceylon. The aircraft was due to return at 2000 hours on 28 November. Due to weather conditions in the area making the patrol impracticable, the aircraft was called by Wireless/Telephone (radio) at 1241 hours and from then on continuously until 2257 hours, but without result, with no answer being received from the aircraft. No signals were received from the aircraft from time of take off, and no trace of the aircraft or crew found from subsequent searches.
The crew members of JM673 were:
Flight Lieutenant John Wallace Bennett (127271) (RAFVR) (Navigator/Bomb Aimer)
Flight Sergeant Alfred James Bonner (1312925) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator/Air)
Flying Officer Sydney Leslie Cary (412393) (Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant David Nicholson Crawford (1553185) (RAFVR) (Fitter Mechanic/Air Gunner)
Flight Lieutenant Alfred Basil Gilbert (120787) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Squadron Leader Kenneth Victor Ingham DFC (406456) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Reginald Frederick Juffs (1431231) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant Dennis Walter Underwood (1691951) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator/Air)
Pilot Officer Reginald Frederick Walliker (56210) (RAF) (Flight Engineer)
Flight Sergeant Edgar Reginald John Williams (1312874) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
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 A9300, INGHAM K V
Bibliography:
Banks, A. (Arthur) Wings of the Dawning: The battle for the Indian Ocean 1939-45, Images Publishing (Malvern) UK, 1996