LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant David Leslie MacPHERSON
Service No: 408910
Born: Toorak VIC, 12 May 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 10 October 1941
Unit: No. 18 (Netherlands East Indies (NEI)) Squadron, MacDonald NT
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 18 Squadron Mitchell aircraft N5-132), Darwin, 4 February 1943, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Adelaide River War Cemetery, NT
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Leslie Mitchell and Lucilla Maude Macpherson, of Toorak, Victoria
Roll of Honour: Melbourne VIC
Remembered: Panel 101, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 1945 hours on 4 February 1943, No. 18 Squadron Mitchell N5-132 crashed 5 kms north of MacDonald Airfield and everyone on board was killed. The nature of the flight is not unspecified in the casualty signal and it is believed that engine problems may have been a contributing factor to the crash. On board N5-132 were:
Sergeant G F Abeleven (94685) (NEIAF) (Mechanic)
Sergeant C Hiele (95845) (NEIAF) (Second Pilot)
Sergeant J J Janssen (92766) (NEIAF) (Wireless Operator)
Sergeant-Major N W Kessles (92875) (NEIAF) (Mechanic)
Sergeant A Maarschalkweerd (94733) (NEIAF) (Mechanic)
Sergeant David Leslie MacPherson (408910) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Leading Aircraftman Max Temby Palamountain (39854) (Supernumerary, Telephone Operator)
Sergeant Major L Schalke (34) (NEIAF) (Pilot)
Sergeant Harold Oscar Walton (408894) (Wireless Air Gunner)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
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, 166/26/35
Bibliography:
Hurst, D. (Doug) The Fourth Ally: The Dutch forces in Australia in WWII, Doug Hurst, Canberra, 2001