LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Arthur WATKINS
Service No: 435058
Born: Euroa VIC, 21 October 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 11 March 1943
Unit: No. 8 Operational Training Unit
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 8 Operational Training Unit Boomerang aircraft A46-32), near Parkes, 7 December 1944, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Parkes General Cemetery, NSW
CWGC Additional Information: Son of George and Fanny Louisa Watkins, of Euroa, Victoria
Roll of Honour: Euroa VIC
Remembered: Panel 113, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 0710 hours on 7 December 1944, Boomerangs A46-32 and A46-36 crashed near the Peak Hill homestead, 15 miles north east of Parkes. Both aircraft were involved in a mid-air collision during a section combat exercise. During the break away from the attack on the target aircraft, the pilot of A46-32 appeared to have left his burning aircraft but the parachute did not open. The pilot of A46-36 who received minor injuries was thrown out of his aircraft in the collision, opened his parachute and landed safely.
The Pilots were:
Flying Officer Harry John Kidd (20531) (Pilot A46-36) Thrown clear and parachuted to safety, Slightly injured, Discharged from the RAAF: 21 January 1946
Flying Officer Arthur Watkins (435058) (Pilot A46-32) Parachute failed to open
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, 166/43/503; A9845, 205