LEST WE FORGET
Corporal William Barry RAMSAY
Service No: 207668
Born: Cessnock NSW, 3 August 1904
Enlisted in the RAAF: 13 June 1937
Unit: No. 4 Squadron
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 4 Squadron Wirraway aircraft A20-105), Canberra, 4 April 1941, Aged 36 Years
Buried: Canberra (Woden) Public Cemetery, ACT
CWGC Additional Information: Son of William Matthew and Jean Ramsay; husband of Dormer Helen Ramsay, of Bondi Junction, New South Wales
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 98, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 4 April 1941, Wirraway A20-105 flown by Flying Officer Cox crashed 7 miles from the Canberra aerodrome. The aircraft was flying in formation on a cross country flight from Narrandera to Canberra. The Leader of the formation did not see Wirraway A20-171 flown by Flying Officer Baster approaching. A20-171 was not in the formation but was flying separately and it had taken off from Canberra in the setting sun. A20-105 and A20-171 collided at about 2,000 feet. Both Pilots used their parachutes and were uninjured but Corporal Ramsay did not use his parachute and was killed.
The crew members of A20-105 were:
Flying Officer Barry Mortimer Cox (260706) (Pilot) Baled out, Killed on Air Operations: 28 April 1942
Corporal William Barry Ramsay (207668) (Supernumerary)
The pilot of A20-171 was:
Flying Officer Alan Rupert Baster (400035) Baled out, Killed on Air Operations: 8 January 1942
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, 163/155/32; A9845, 173