LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Keith Raymond SMITHWICK
Service No: 431425
Born: Northcote VIC, 15 June 1925
Enlisted in the RAAF: 2 July 1943
Unit: No. 77 Squadron
Died: Air Operations: (No. 77 Squadron Kittyhawk aircraft A29-904), Halmaheras area, 23 November 1944, Aged 19 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Richard Eric and Lilian Margaret Hannah Smithwick, of Rosebud, Victoria, Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 10, Ambon Memorial, Indonesia
Remembered: Panel 104, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 23 November 1944, Kittyhawk A29-904 flown by Sergeant Smithwick was one of a 12 aircraft formation detailed to carry out a bombing and strafing mission from Morotai against Japanese positions in the Halmaheras area. A29-904 failed to return from the mission.
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, 166/38/415