LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Rex Joseph MARRE
Service No: 403355
Born: Sydney NSW, 22 March 1918
Enlisted in the RAAF: 6 January 1941
Unit: No. 3 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 3 Squadron Hurricane aircraft Z3222), Kent, 15 March 1942, Aged 23 Years
Buried: Hawkinge Cemetery, Kent
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Michael and Margaret Adrienne Marre, of Rose Bay, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Sydney NSW
Remembered: Panel 127, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 2227 hours on 15 March 1942 Hurricane Z3222 took off from Manston to carry out a one hour searchlight cooperation exercise. The weather conditions were excellent with 1/10th cloud at 5,000 feet, wind 25 mph and visibility 5 miles. From 5 minutes after take off the aircraft was in constant radio contact on the Fixer frequencies channel until 2256 hours when in the vicinity of Hawkinge at 8,000 feet. No radio was received after 2256 hours and the aircraft crashed at approximately 2310 hours at Swingfield, 1.5 miles north-west of Hawkinge. The aircraft caught fire on impact and the pilot trapped in the cockpit was killed instantly.
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, 163/142/316