LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Fred Leonard William PRITCHARD
Service No: 416995
Born: Hindmarsh SA, 17 July 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 8 November 1941
Unit: No. 454 Squadron, Berka III Landing Ground, Libya
Died: Air Operations (No. 454 Squadron Baltimore aircraft FA602), Aegean Sea, 29 November 1943, Aged 23 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Leonard William and Myrtle Irene Pritchard, of Wellard, South Australia
Roll of Honour: Hindmarsh SA
Remembered: Column 278, Alamein Memorial, Egypt
Remembered: Panel 105, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
On 29 November 1943, Baltimore FA602 was detailed to conduct a photographic reconnaissance of shipping routes along the eastern coast of Greece and islands in the Aegean Sea. The aircraft was airborne at 0655 hours and made a sighting report at 0950 hours. Nothing further was heard from the aircraft which was well inside enemy territory at the time of the sighting report.
The crew members of FA602 were:
Flying Officer Kenneth Ebenezer Adamson (409785) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Gordon Edward Marland (415544) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flying Officer Arthur Peter Spencer Milligan (141561) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Flight Sergeant Fred Leonard William Pritchard (416995) (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 A705, 166/33/109