LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant William John NICHOLLS
Service No: 407726
Born: Bute SA, 5 November 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 4 January 1941
Unit: No. 14 Operational Training Unit (RAF), RAF Cottesmore, Lincolnshire
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 14 Operational Training Unit Hampden aircraft P1303), Lincolnshire, 29 April 1942, Aged 20 Years
Buried: Cottesmore (St Nicholas) Churchyard Extension, Rutland
CWGC Additional Information: Son of John Leslie and Lena Harriet Nicholls, of Lochiel, South Australia
Roll of Honour: Lochiel SA
Remembered: Panel 128, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
Hampden P1303 took off from Cottesmore to practice single engine flying. The Pilot lost control of the aircraft at 200 feet and dived to the ground at Gunby, 15 kms south of Grantham, Lincolnshire. Both the crew members were killed.
The crew members of P1303 were:
Sergeant William John Nicholls (407726) (Pilot)
Sergeant John McWilliam Stewart (777897) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
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 Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/147/217
Bibliography:
Gaston, Bruce DFC (406646), Harry Horner DFC OAM (406595), Raymond Storer (406666) (Editors), Aircrew for the Duration: of and by members of RAAF EATS Courses 10, 11, 12 & 13, Gaston Horner and Storer, Nedlands WA, 1990