LEST WE FORGET
Warrant Officer Bruce Vaughton PAECH
Service No: 416188
Born: North Adelaide SA, 15 October 1915
Enlisted in the RAAF: 31 March 1941
Unit: No. 21 Squadron, Morotai
Died: Air Operations (No. 21 Squadron Liberator aircraft A72-66), Halmaheras, 31 July 1945, Aged 29 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Stanley Harold and Kathleen Cecelia Paech, of Mount Barker, South Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Column 9, Ambon Memorial, Indonesia
Remembered: Panel 97, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
On 31 July 1945, No. 21 Squadron Liberator A72-66 was tasked to strike at anti-aircraft positions at Lolobata, Halmaheras. After takeoff, nothing further was heard from the aircraft and it failed to return to base. The crew members of A72-66 were:
Flight Sergeant Aubrey Edward Burgess (443659) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Robert William Delahunt (439573) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Flying Officer Douglas Poultney Dewhurst (403780) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Flying Officer Jack Bonfield Faviell (403916) (Pilot)
Warrant Officer Bruce Vaughton Paech (416188) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Neville Herbert Playford (Navigator) (439635)
Flight Sergeant Gordon Malcolm Scott (23277) (Flight Engineer)
Pilot Officer William Joseph Stubbs (418199) (Co-Pilot)
Sergeant Ronald Jack Walker (439333) (Navigator)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A9845, 71
Bibliography:
Nelmes, M.V. (Michael) Tocumwal to Tarakan: Australians and the Consolidated B-24 Liberator, Banner Books Belconnen ACT 2616, 1994
Wilson, S. (Stewart) Boston, Mitchell and Liberator in Australian Service, Aerospace Publications Weston Creek ACT 2611, 1992