LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Leslie John Keith OLNEY
Service No: 256518
Born: Mount Moriac VIC, 18 December 1907
Enlisted in the RAAF: 13 July 1942
Unit: No. 12 Survey and Design Unit, Katherine NT
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 6 Communication Unit DH-84 Dragon aircraft A34-51), near Goulburn Island NT, 29 May 1943, Aged 35 Years
Buried: Adelaide River War Cemetery NT
CWGC Additional Information: Son of John Charles and Isabella Jane Olney; husband of Jessie Miriam Olney, of Hartwell, Victoria
Roll of Honour: Newtown VIC
Remembered: Panel 97, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 29 May 1943, Flying Officer Olney (Administrative and Special Duties) lost his life in the crash of No. 6 Communication Unit Dragon A34-51 fifteen miles south west of Goulburn Island, Northern Territory. The RAAF members travelling as passengers were returning from Goulburn Island after inspecting the aerodrome. The aircraft flew low to inspect a lugger beached on the mainland and struck a tree and crashed and was subsequently written off. On board A34-51 were:
Flying Officer Leslie John Keith Olney (256518) (Passenger)
Flying Officer Frederick Harold Porter (264738) (No. 44 Wing, Passenger) Uninjured, Discharged from the RAAF: 8 January 1946
Flying Officer John Slade (401837) (Pilot) Seriously injured, Discharged from the RAAF: 28 May 1946
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/31/62