LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer Eric George Turton RILEY
Service No: 411522
Born: Gordon NSW, 11 October 1917
Enlisted in the RAAF: 24 May 1941
Unit: No. 22 Squadron
Died: Air Operations: (No. 22 Squadron Boston aircraft A28-16), off Gasmata Island, 12 September 1943, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Percy Robert and Winifred Jane Riley, of West Como, New South Wales; husband of Dorothy Annie Riley, of Hurstville, New South Wales
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 35, Rabaul Memorial PNG
Remembered: Panel 101, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Hurstville War Memorial, Hurstville NSW
On 12 September 1943, Boston A28-16 was one of four aircraft which took off from Goodenough Island detailed to carry out a barge sweep along the south coast of New Britain, Papua New Guinea. No barges were sighted and a secondary target on Gasmata Island was attacked. A28-16 was seen to carry out an attack and leave in the normal manner. A28-16 was not observed further and the aircraft failed to return to base. Post war searches found no trace of the missing aircraft and crew members.
The crew members of A28-16 were:
Pilot Officer Eric George Turton Riley (411522) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Lindsay Kenneth Wilson (413921) (Wireless Air Gunner)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/35/149; A9845, 216
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line