LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Roderick Orr MacLEAN
Service No: 409641
Born: Melbourne VIC, 6 May 1917
Enlisted in the RAAF: 12 September 1941
Unit: No. 541 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Benson
Died: Air Operations: Long Distance Raids (No. 541 Squadron Spitfire aircraft MB908), Atlantic Ocean, 4 November 1943, Aged 26 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Roderick Gregor MacLean and Jeanetta Ellen MacLean, of Caulfield, Victoria, Australia
Roll of Honour: Caulfield VIC
Remembered: Panel 188, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey UK
Remembered: Panel 126, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 1009 hours on 4 November 1943 Spitfire MB908 took off from Benson to carry out a photo reconnaissance over the Bordeaux area and other points in the south of France. At 1030 hours at a height of 27,000 feet the aircraft plot of MB908 faded at position 49.30N 009.12W. No message was received from the aircraft and attempts made to contact the aircraft at 5 minute intervals were unsuccessful. Subsequent Air Sea Rescue searches were also unsuccessful. In a 1949 report Flying Officer MacLean was recorded at having lost his life at sea.
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, 166/26/280