LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Mervyn John SMART
Service No: 416798
Born: Brighton SA, 24 January 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 11 September 1941
Unit: No. 466 Squadron, RAF Leconfield, Yorkshire
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 466 Squadron Wellington aircraft HZ531), Yorkshire, 31 August 1943, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Harrogate (Stonefall) Cemetery, Yorkshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of John Vivian and Florence May Smart, of Somerton, South Australia.
Roll of Honour: Glenelg SA
Remembered: Panel 110, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
Wellington HZ531 took off from RAF Leconfield at 0017 hours and Wellington LN292 took off at 0013 hours on the night of 30/31st August 1943 to carry out a bombing attack on Munchen-Gladbach, Germany. Fifteen aircraft of the Squadron took part in the mission and two of these HZ 531 and LN 292 failed to return.
HZ531 and LN292 were involved in a collision at 5, 000 feet over Goole Yorkshire when en route to the target. Both aircraft crashed and all members of both crews were killed. HZ 531 crashed at 0025 hours on 31st August at Sound Farm, Howden, approximately 2 miles north of Goole. LN 292 crashed in the centre of the town into Carlile Street, Goole. One civilian were killed and seven civilians were injured.. The night was clear and dark and the orders were that the aircraft should turn at Goole between 2,000 and 6,000 feet and navigation lights were to be on.
The crew members of HZ531 were:
Flight Sergeant Edwin Henry Berry (410436) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Sergeant John Travers Eccleston (1476724) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Newton Hasalby Fuss (407349) (Navigator)
Flight Sergeant James Barber McLachlan (420353) (Bomb Aimer)
Flight Sergeant Mervin John Smart (416798) (Pilot)
The crew members of LN 292 were:
Sergeant Peter Arthur Frank Elliot (656764) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Sergeant John Leonard Harwood (1390412) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Sergeant Thomas Daniel McCann (R/154939) (RCAF) (Rear Gunner) (an American)
Sergeant Joseph Noar (1239310) (RAFVR) (Bomb Aimer)
Sergeant Geoffrey George Payne (1579828) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
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, 166/38/261