LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Martin Desmond SHIELS
Service No: 403536
Born: Sydney NSW, 9 January 1915
Enlisted in the RAAF: 1 February 1941
Unit: No. 451 Squadron
Died: Air Operations (No. 451 Squadron Hurricane aircraft BP541), 12 February 1943, Aged 28 Years
Buried: Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Finbar Patrick and Evelyn Augustine Shiels, of Lindfield, New South Wales, Australia.
Roll of Honour: Condobolin NSW
Remembered: Panel 105, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On the 12 February 1943, Flying Officer Shiels flying Hurricane BP541 took off in a strong cross-wind on an interception task and struck the wall of a dispersal bay, causing his aircraft to somersault and he was killed in the resulting crash.
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 A9300, SHIELS M D
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line