LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Bruce Oliver Kingsley McROBERTS
Service No: 412563
Born: Burwood NSW, 2 November 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 19 July 1941
Unit: No. 53 Operational Training Unit (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 53 Operational Training Unit Spitfire aircraft P8692), off the Welsh Coast, 3 November 1942, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Oliver James McRoberts and Margaret Elizabeth McRoberts, of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Roll of Honour: Haberfield NSW
Remembered: Panel 113, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey UK
Remembered: Panel 126, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: St David’s WWII Memorial Plaque, Haberfield NSW
Remembered: St David’s Haberfield WWII Roll of Honor, Haberfield NSW
On a training flight on 3 November 1942 Spitfire P8692 flown by Sergeant McRoberts was last seen at 1140 hours approximately one mile south of Llandough near Cardiff, Wales. The weather at the time was fair with a slight ground haze. When last seen the aircraft which was one of four Spitfires flying in formation did not appear in difficulties. The formation led by the instructor in charge of the practice was proceeding towards the coast and entered cloud at 3,000 feet. While climbing through the cloud P8692 was observed to become unsteady and lose height. When the other aircraft emerged from the cloud, P8692 was not seen and attempts at radio communication were unsuccessful. In 1949 it was recorded that Sergeant McRoberts had 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, 163/141/808
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line