LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Herbert Jeffrey MOLE
Service No: 410687
Born: Brighton Beach VIC, 30 November 1917
Enlisted in the RAAF: 31 January 1942
Unit: No. 70 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 70 Squadron Wellington aircraft HZ403), Italy, 16 March 1944, Aged 26 Years
Buried: Bari War Cemetery, Italy
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Ernest and Lottie Richmond Mole, of Brighton Beach, Victoria, Australia
Roll of Honour: Brighton Beach VIC
Remembered: Panel 127, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On the night of 15/16 March 1944 Wellington HZ403 was detailed to carry out a raid on the marshalling yards at Sofia, Bulgaria. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take-off and it failed to return to base. On its return from the target the aircraft crashed at San Nicandro and all the crew members were killed.
The crew members of HZ403 were:
Flying Officer Eric Francis Marler (152447) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Flight Sergeant Herbert Jeffrey Mole (410687) (Pilot)
Sergeant Basil Yates Morley (1580110) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Paul Henry Salisbury (1488749) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
Sergeant Ronald Frederick Saunders (1576953) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
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, 166/28/256