LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Robert John LETCHER
Service No: 416437
Born: Semaphore SA, 17 November 1918
Enlisted in the RAAF: 23 June 1941
Unit: No. 3 Overseas Aircraft Delivery Unit (RAF), RAF Hurn, Dorset
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 3 Overseas aircraft Delivery Unit Wellington aircraft LN667), Somerset, 22 January 1944, Aged 25 Years
Buried: Bath (Haycombe) Cemetery, Somerset UK
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Thorold Roy and Doris Phoebe Letcher, of Adelaide, South Australia.
Roll of Honour: Mitcham SA
Remembered: Panel 125, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
On the 22nd January 1944, Wellington LN 667 took off from RAF Hurn at 0113 hours on a non-operational night flight, and crashed at 0325 hours near Shadwick House, Somerset. All the crew members were killed. The aircraft was one of 17 aircraft despatched to North Africa.
At 0245 hours an irregular SOS signal was picked up through Plympton, but no fix could be obtained. There were no plots on this aircraft, and at 0310 hours the aircraft was heard by Haverfordwest but no fix was obtained. At 0320 hours the aircraft suddenly appeared over Westonzoyland calling Darky and saying it must land at once. This airfield had no Drem lighting in operation, and required notice to light a flare path. This was got under way immediately, but at 0325 before the flare path could be lit, the aircraft crashed five miles from the airfield.
The crew members of LN667 were:
Flying Officer Raymond Dennis Fearns (124450) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Robert John Letcher (416437) (Navigator Bomb Aimer)
Sergeant James McCourt (1144337) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant Jeffrey Charles Simpson (1324062) (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 A705, 166/24/374