LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer Albert William Milne PARSONS
Service No: 426757
Born: Nambour QLD, 17 October 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 18 July 1942
Unit: No. 158 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Lissett
Died: Air Operations: (No. 158 Squadron Halifax III aircraft HX329), Germany, 12 September 1944, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Albert Edward Conrad Parsons and Gertrude Jane Parsons of Maroochydore, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Woombye QLD
Remembered: Panel 128, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 1122 hours on the 12 September 1944 Halifax HX329 took off from Lissett detailed to bomb Scholven-Buer (in the northern outskirts of Gelsenkirchen), Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take-off and it failed to return to base. The aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire and Pilot Officer Leleu was blown clear before the aircraft crashed at Hervest in the eastern suburb of Dorstein. Six of the crew members were killed and Pilot Officer Leleu became a Prisoner of War.
The crew members of HX329 were:
Pilot Officer Charles Richard Henry Baker (55889) (RAF) (Flight Engineer)
Sergeant Ernest Edward Evans (1853237) (RAFVR) (Mid Gunner)
Flying Officer Leslie Fulker (412421) (RNZAF) (Pilot)
Pilot Officer A O Leleu (183385) (RAFVR) (Navigator) PoW
Pilot Officer George Roy Newey (416144) (RNZAF) (Air Bomber)
Pilot Officer Albert William Milne Parsons (426757) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Kenneth James Roberts (1431154) (RAFVR) (Rear 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 Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/32/495