LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Kenneth Ernest SPARKES
Service No: 443510
Born: Auburn NSW, 2 August 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 29 October 1943
Unit: No. 1 Squadron, Kingaroy QLD
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 1 Squadron Mosquito aircraft A52-501), Kingaroy, 16 April 1945, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Taabinga Cemetery, Queensland
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Ernest Arthur and Eva May Sparkes, of Coogee, New South Wales
Roll of Honour: Sydney NSW
Remembered: Panel 97, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 16 April 1945 Mosquito A52-501 while on a low and dive bombing practice exercise crashed at the bombing range at Kingaroy. The crew of two were killed. The probable cause of the crash was excessive loading leading to failure of the starboard main plane.
The crew members of A52-510 were:
Flight Lieutenant Leigh Rule (400491) (Pilot)
Flying Officer Kenneth Ernest Sparkes (443510) (Navigator Wireless)
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, 166/38/1032
Bibliography:
Vincent, D. (David) Mosquito Monograph: A history of Mosquitoes in Australia and RAAF operations, David Vincent Highbury SA 5089, 1982