LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Maxwell Robert ROSS
Service No: 407019
Born: Rose Park SA, 16 March 1915
Enlisted in the RAAF: 29 April 1940
Unit: No. 57 Squadron (RAF), RAF Feltwell, Norfolk
Died: Air Operations (No. 57 Squadron Wellington aircraft R1794), North West Europe, 27 June 1941, Aged 26 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Arthur George Stanley Ross and Freda Ellis Ross, of Toorak Gardens, South Australia
Roll of Honour: Adelaide SA
Remembered: Panel 63, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey UK
Remembered: Panel 129, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
Wellington R1794 took off from RAF Station Feltwell at 2300 hours on 26 June 1941 to attack Bremen, Germany. The last Morse message was received at 0130 hours on the 27 June, but nothing further was received and the aircraft failed to return to base. Following post war enquiries and investigations no trace was found of the missing aircraft or crew.
The crew members of R1994 were:
Sergeant Colin Dingwall Asher (966017) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant James O’Donnell (618583) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Maxwell Robert Ross (407019) (Pilot)
Sergeant William Charles Shepherd (581120) (RAF) (Observer)
Sergeant George Hazen Tett (R/52824) (RCAF) (Second Pilot)
Sergeant William Frederick Towlson (R/65635) (RCAF) (Wireless Air Gunner)
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, 163/158/142