LEST WE FORGET
Flight Lieutenant Carswell Harold NIVEN
From Australia serving in the Royal Air Force
Service No: 117505 (RAFVR)
Born: Date, Location unavailable
Enlisted in the RAF: Date unavailable
Unit: No. 8 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 8 Squadron Vengeance aircraft FB956), Pakistan, 5 August 1944, Age unavailable
Buried: Karachi War Cemetery, Pakistan
CWGC Additional Information: No additional information
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Commemorative Roll, Australian War Memorial, Canberra
Vengeance FB956 proceeded to Samungli on the movement of the Squadron and had left Jacobabad on the last stage of the journey. As the aircraft was overdue a search by levies (groups of local inhabitants) was ordered by the Civil Magistrate at Mach. The aircraft was discovered on 8 August 1944 on a ledge of a mountain approximately 9,000 feet high. The aircraft was not visible from the air and a two hour journey on horse and a two hour climb was necessary. FB956 had crashed in the mountains approximately 6 miles from Hirok, in position 30.45N 067.13E at about 1500 hours on 5 August 1944 and all the crew members were killed. Locals in the neighbourhood heard an aircraft at 1500 hours on 5 August and at the same time there was a loud report. No one paid attention to this report as there was often loud noises due to rocks crashing down. The weather at the time was extremely bad with heavy rain. It was presumed that the crash was due to navigational error.
The crew members of FB956 were:
Pilot Officer George Logan Allan (412359) (Wireless Operator Air)
Flight Lieutenant Carswell Harold Niven (117505) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Leading Aircraftman Eric Douglas Willcock (1412613) (RAFVR) (Wireless Mechanic)
References:
Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll On-Line Records
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records