LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Robert Lichfield TRESIDDER
Service No: 402894
Born: Melbourne VIC, 27 November 1915
Enlisted in the RAAF: 11 November 1940 (at Sydney NSW)
Unit: No. 460 Squadron, RAF Station Breighton, Yorkshire
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 460 Squadron Wellington aircraft Z1327), Yorkshire, 17 February 1942, Aged 26 Years
Buried: Holme-on-Spalding Moor (All Saints) Churchyard, Yorkshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Robert Kay Tresidder and Vincentia Margaret Tresidder, of Coogee, New South Wales, Australia.
Roll of Honour: Sydney NSW
Remembered: Panel 108, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Wellington Z1327 took off at 1920 hours on 17 February 1942 from RAF Breighton on a night cross country training flight. The route was Breighton – Peterborough – Harwell – Pershore – Sywell – Breighton. Wireless communication was established between the aircraft and Holme HF/DF Station until 2222 hours. At 2228 hours the aircraft crashed into a hillside at Farnley Tyas near Huddersfield and was completely destroyed by fire. The crew members were all killed. These casualties in this non-operational training flight were the first casualties in the Squadron.
The crew members of Z1327 were:
Sergeant William Leonard Ashplant (1170676) (RAFVR) (Observer)
Sergeant Cyril Caradoe Davies (1052270) (RAFVR) (First Wireless Operator)
Sergeant Cyril Raymond Dickeson (1292128) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
Sergeant Frederick Dutton (1006728) (RAFVR) (Second Wireless Operator)
Sergeant Robert Lichfield Tresidder (402894) (Second Pilot)
Sergeant James Henry Ware (402897) (Pilot)
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 Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/168/116
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line
Bibliography:
Firkins, P. C. (Peter Charles) (441386) Strike and Return, Westward Ho Publishing City Beach WA, 1985