LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer Bruce Leonard STURDAY
Service No: 403384
Born: Bondi NSW, 6 January 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 6n January 1941
Unit: No. 61 Operational Training Unit (RAF), RAF Station Heston
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 61 Operational Training Unit Spitfire aircraft R6699), Surrey, 24 December 1941, Aged 19 Years
Buried: Hounslow Cemetery, Hansworth Road, Hounslow, Middlesex
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Albert Harold and Annie Sturday, of Homebush, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Strathfield NSW
Remembered: Panel 131, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Strathfield World war II Roll of Honour, Strathfield NSW
At 1215 hours on 24 December 1941, Spitfire R6699 flown by Pilot Officer Sturday took off from Heston to to carry out a Section climb to 25,000 feet and then do aerobatics and air combat. R6699
crashed when it disintegrated while in a spin. Both main planes and tail unit left the fuselage and the aircraft crashed near St Annes Hill Pleasure Ground, Chertsey, killing Pilot Officer Sturday.
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, 163/57/153
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line