LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Lionel Timothy WATSON
Service No: 402300
Born: Abbotsford NSW, 2 July 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 22 July 1940
Unit: No. 55 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident: (No. 55 Squadron Blenheim aircraft M322), Egypt, 12 November 1941, Aged 20 Years
Buried: El Alamein War Cemetery, Egypt
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Frederick Ernest and Edith May Watson, of Haberfield, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Ashfield NSW
Remembered: Panel 132, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 1900 hours on 12 November 1941 Blenheim M322 crashed south of Fuka aerodrome. The aircraft hit a slight escarpment during its approach to the flare path, possibly due to the altimeter being incorrectly set. Bombs on board exploded on impact and all the crew members were killed.
The crew members of M322 were:
Pilot Officer Thomas George Gibbon Chater (115323) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Pilot Officer Alfred Carrington Johnson (400398) (Observer)
Sergeant Lionel Timothy Watson (402300) (Wireless Air Gunner)
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, 163/176/173