LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Robert Henry KELLY
Service No: 406108
Born: Greenough WA, 22 June 1919
Enlisted in the RAAF: 15 August 1940
Unit: No. 24 Squadron (South African Air Force), Landing Ground 99, Egypt
Died: Air Operations: (No. 24 Squadron Boston aircraft Z2163), Egypt, 31 July 1942, Aged 23 Years
Buried: El Alamein War Cemetery, Egypt
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Harry and Eva Grace Kelly, of West Perth, Western Australia.
Roll of Honour: Perth WA
Remembered: Panel 134, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Cenotaph Undercroft, State War Memorial, Kings Park WA
On 31st July 1942, Boston Z2163 crashed approximately 40 miles from Alexandria, in a south easterly direction and off the side of the Alexandria-Cairo road, about 20 miles from Alexandria. All the crew were killed. The aircraft took off at 2340 hours on 30 July, and crashed at 0048 hours approximately on its way back to base, owing to damage received by anti-aircraft fire when attacking dispersed enemy aircraft on Landing Ground 13. A search party proceeded to the scene of the crash and found the burnt out wreck of the aircraft.
The crew members of Z2163 were:
Lieutenant Alfred Edward Corbey (103116) (SAAF) (Pilot)
Sergeant John Forsyth (102389) (SAAF) (Gunner)
Sergeant Arthur Hutchison (103818) (SAAF) (Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Robert Henry Kelly (406108) (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, 163/132/193