LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Peter SPACKMAN
Service No: 400605
Born: Melbourne VIC, 16 April 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 18 September 1940
Unit: No. 4 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 4 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit Lerwick aircraft L7268), off the Scottish Coast, 14 October 1941, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Edward Tipton Spackman and Ida Muriel Spackman, of Brighton Beach, Victoria, Australia
Roll of Honour: Brighton VIC
Remembered: Panel 63, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey UK
Remembered: Panel 130, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 1100 hours on 14 October 1941 Lerwick L7268 took off but crashed into the sea six miles east north east off Tarbatness, Scotland, due to engine failure. The flying boat port engine commenced to pop and the pilot experienced difficulty, and at 800 feet the aircraft went into a dive and crashed. It was believed that the port engine failed and the aircraft stalled, with the pilot unable to correct due to lack of altitude. There were three survivors from the crash and two bodies were recovered.
The crew members of L7268 were:
Sergeant Ronald William Ballard (923698) (RAFVR) Remains recovered
Warrant Officer R D Bette (Free French Forces) (Pilot)
Sergeant H F Cole (RAF) Survived
Pilot Officer Gordon Dudley Gilmore (J/5316) (RCAF)
Pilot Officer Alistair George Hall (108030) (RAFVR) (Observer) Remains recovered
Sergeant Joseph Allan Johnston (404493) (RNZAF)
Aircraftman Class II George Kidd (1370937) (RAFVR)
Aircraftman Class I James Kerr Kidd (994248) (RAFVR)
Pilot Officer V Marshall (RAF) Survived
Sergeant Peter Spackman (400605) (Observer)
Aircraftman Class II D P Taylor (RAF) Survived
Aircraftman Class II Stanley Owen Wainwright (930931) (RAFVR)
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, 163/163/240