LEST WE FORGET
Warrant Officer Peter Gerald SCHLENCKER
Service No: 405883
Born: Brisbane QLD, 24 March 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 21 June 1941
Unit: No. 77 Squadron
Died: Air Operations: (No. 77 Squadron Kittyhawk aircraft A29-824), Manokwari area, 14 October 1944, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Gerald Garfield and Lilian Maud Schlencker, of Indooroopilly, Queensland
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 6, Lae Memorial PNG
Remembered: Panel 104, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 14 October 1944, Kittyhawk A29-824 flown by Warrant Officer Schlencker took off five minutes after the other three aircraft owing to slight engine trouble. The formation was detailed to carry out a bombing and strafing mission in the Manokwari area, Dutch New Guinea. At about 1445 hours, both No. 2 and No. 4 in the formation heard A29-824 call up on radio saying his aircraft had a glycol leak. About two minutes later both aircraft saw a splash in the sea five miles east of Manokwari. The aircraft failed to return from the mission and later searches found no trace of Warrant Officer Schlencker.
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, 166/37/572; A9845, 167