LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant David William PETCH
Service No: 437040
Born: Brighton SA, 15 July 1924
Enlisted in the RAAF: 10 October 1942
Unit: No. 2 Squadron, Darwin NT
Died: Air Operations (No. 2 Squadron Hudson aircraft A16-178), Arafura Sea, 16 October 1943, Aged 19 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Alfred Guy and Mary Petch, of Meribah, South Australia.
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Column 10, Ambon Memorial, Indonesia
Remembered: Panel 98, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
In October, North-Western Area squadrons continued to support the New Guinea offensive by destroying as much of the enemy strength as possible in the Netherlands East Indies. … The Hudsons of No. 2 Squadron and Mitchells of No. 18 Squadron continued nightly attacks on Koepang, Lautem, Fuiloro, Langgur, and other targets.
Extract from Odgers, G.J. (George James) (VX127783) Air War Against Japan 1943-1945, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1957 – Page 117
At 0200Z hours on 16 October 1943, Hudson A16-178 took off from Milingimbi and proceeded on a shipping reconnaissance sortie over the Arafura Sea. Nothing was heard from the aircraft which failed to return to base.
The crew members of A16-178 were:
Flight Sergeant John Francis George Cullen (423078) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Francis Richard Drake-Brockman (427451) (Navigator Bomb Aimer)
Flying Officer John Pomeroy Oldridge (417509) (Pilot)
Sergeant David William Petch (437040) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Donald Neal Rumble (413260) (Wireless Air Gunner)
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, 137
Bibliography:
Wilson, S. (Stewart) Anson, Hudson and Sunderland in Australian Service, Aerospace Publications Weston Creek ACT 2611, 1992