LEST WE FORGET
Flight Lieutenant Robert Cecil SPICER
Service No: 406190
Born: Manningford-Bruce England, 8 April 1908
Enlisted in the RAAF: 12 September 1940 (at Perth WA)
Unit: No. 4 Service Flying Training School, Geraldton WA
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 4 Service Flying Training School Anson aircraft W2129) Geraldton WA, 9 February 1943, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Geraldton War Cemetery WA
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Charles Henry and Christina Spicer; husband of Florence Mary Spicer, of Claremont.
Roll of Honour: Claremont WA
Remembered: Panel 117, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Cenotaph Undercroft, State War Memorial, Kings Park WA
A collision occurred in mid-air between Anson aircraft W2129, Instructor Flying Officer Robert Cecil Spicer (406190) accompanied by pupil pilot Leading Aircraftman Colin Charles Horton Wright (427368), and Anson aircraft W1938, pupil pilot Leading Aircraftman Lawrence John Betts (427287), causing damage to the tail unit of W2129 which stalled and struck the ground almost vertically, killing both Flying Officer Spicer and LAC Wright. LAC Betts (1) landed aircraft W1938 and was uninjured.
No. 4 Service Flying Training School Operations Book A50 Entry dated (Tuesday) 9 February 1943
(1) Sergeant Lawrence John Betts was discharged from the RAAF on 22 October 1945
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A9845, 100
Bibliography:
Brenkley, D. J. (Doug J.) RAAF Historical Record of No. 4 Service Flying Training School Geraldton WA, D.J. Brenkley, 2007
Wilson, S. (Stewart) Anson, Hudson and Sunderland in Australian Service, Aerospace Publications Weston Creek ACT 2611, 1992