LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Henry Valentine Charles SHEPPARD
Service No: 409755
Born: Footscray VIC, 30 September 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 10 October 1941
Unit: No. 8 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 8 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit Spitfire aircraft X4805), Scotland, 31 May 1943, Aged 20 Years
Buried: Haddington (St Martin’s) New Burial Ground, East Lothian, Scotland
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Henry Joseph and Teresa Cecilia Sheppard, of Benalla, Victoria, Australia
Roll of Honour: Benalla VIC
Remembered: Panel 130, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 31 May 1943, Spitfire X4805 flown by Flying Officer Sheppard was detailed to carry out a non-operational photo cross country high level (3,000 feet) training flight. The aircraft spun from 1,000 feet and crashed straight into the ground at approximately 1045 hours at Coates Farm killing Flying Officer Sheppard.
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, 166/37/111