LEST WE FORGET
Flight Lieutenant Terence William KENNEDY
Service No: 420237
Born: Redfern NSW, 13 March 1914
Enlisted in the RAAF: 11 October 1941
Unit: No. 156 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Upwood
Died: Air Operations: (No. 156 Squadron Lancaster aircraft NE143), France, 1 June 1944, Aged 30 Years
Buried: Grand-Seracour British Cemetery, Aisne, France
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Selwyn and Eva Emily Kennedy; husband of Olive Mary Kennedy, of Belmore, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Sydney NSW
Remembered: Panel 125, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 0025 hours on the morning of 1 June 1944 Lancaster NE143 took off from Upwood detailed to bomb the railway yards at Tergnier, France. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take-off and it failed to return to base. The aircraft crashed at La Neuvilleen (Aisne), 20 kms south west of St-Quentin, France. Three of the crew members were killed, one was taken prisoner and three evaded capture.
The crew members of NE143 were:
Warrant Officer Ronald James Andrews (1314936) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant A G Bryant (1601736) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner) Evaded capture
Flight Sergeant Ronald George Burton (1801606) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Warrant Officer Arnold Archibald Gilchrist (409105) (Air Bomber) PoW, Discharged from the RAAF: 4 October 1945
Flight Lieutenant Terence William Kennedy (420237) (Navigator)
Flight Lieutenant Ronald Hockey Samson DFC (414264) (Pilot) Evaded capture, Discharged from the RAAF: 15 August 1946
Flight Sergeant H N Whitmore (1535794) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner) Evaded capture
In his report Flight Lieutenant Sampson stated “Just after leaving the target the aircraft was hit presumably by light flak. The port inner caught fire and shortly after the Port outer. Height 11,000 feet. The wing appeared to be burning through and I ordered abandon. I saw each crew member abandon and I baled out about 4,000 feet when aircraft was in steep dive. None of crew injured before the bomber crashed. The Resistance Movement reported that 2 bodies were found with chutes either opened or partly open near or on German aerodrome at Friere. Two other bodies were found by the Movement with parachutes open or partly open in village of Friere Faillouev.”
In his PoW report Warrant Officer Gilchrist stated “Aircraft hit by flak and caught fire, Skipper ordered bale out and acknowledged. No injuries from flak. Flight Engineer baled out first followed by me Height 14,000 feet. Remainder of crew not seen again by me. Aircraft crashed near St Quentin. Landed in woods Others not seen. Started walking next morning. Saw no activity and walked 4 to 5miles before captured by German in civilian clothes. Released by Russians 22 April 1945.”
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 Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/22/260