LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Allen Hastings RINGLAND MID
Service No: 412033
Born: Wauchope NSW, 29 May 1918
Enlisted in the RAAF: 21 June 1941
Unit: No. 459 Squadron, St Jean
Awarded the Mentioned in Despatches (MID)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 459 Squadron Ventura aircraft FP537), Mediterranean, 3 March 1944, Aged 25 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of William George Frederick and Isabella Ringland; husband of Patricia Emelie Ringland, of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Newcastle NSW
Remembered: Column 281, Alamein Memorial, Egypt
Remembered: Panel 106, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Port Macquarie War Memorial, Port Macquarie NSW
Remembered: Newcastle Boys High School Memorial Entrance World War II, Waratah NSW
On 3 March 1944, the crew of Ventura FP537 was tasked to take part in an anti-submarine operation with Royal Navy units off Crete. Poor weather caused the aircraft to be recalled, but the recall message was not acknowledged. Later a distress message was received and then nothing further was heard from the aircraft. Subsequent searches were unsuccessful. The crew members of FP 537 were:
Flight Sergeant Gordon Dixon (1074861) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flying Officer Robert Edward Lomax (133782) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Flying Officer Allen Hastings Ringland MID (412033) (Pilot)
Fight Sergeant Robert Walker Tudor (1372321) (RAFVR) (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 A9816, 145 (No. 459 Squadron Unit History)
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line
Bibliography:
Kane-Maguire L. (Leon) Desert Scorpions: 459 Squadron RAAF 1942-1945, Australian Military History Publications Loftus NSW 2232, 2007
Winter, V.A. (Vincent Adams) (408547) Noble Six Hundred: the story of the Empire Air Training Scheme with special reference to Australians who trained in Southern Rhodesia, V.A. Winter Brighton VIC 3186