LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Robert Geoffrey PETCH
Service No: 416698
Born: Paruna SA, 8 September 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 16 August 1941
Unit: No. 27 Squadron (RAF), Agartala, India
Died: Air Operations: Australians in Burma (No. 27 Squadron Beaufighter aircraft EL273), Myanmar, 29 June 1943, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Charles Geoffrey and Marjorie Petch, of Paruna, South Australia.
Roll of Honour: Adelaide SA
Remembered: Column 430, Singapore Memorial, Singapore
Remembered: Panel 128, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
Beaufighter EL273 of No 27 Squadron took off from Agartala on 29 June 1943 to carry out operations over enemy territory. EL 273 was last seen flying perfectly at about 1,000/1,500 feet, between the ferry south of Satthwa situated on the west coast of Burma and Zigon about 15 kms south and 6 kms inland. The aircraft failed to return to base. It was recorded in 1949 that the missing crew had no known grave.
The crew members of EL273 were:
Flight Sergeant Robert Geoffrey Petch (416698) (Pilot)
Sergeant Robert Mark Thomas (1435315) (RAF) (Navigator Wireless)
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 Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/32/136