LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Nathaniel WHITE
Service No: 401355
Born: Yarra Glen VIC, 25 November 1911
Enlisted in the RAAF: 2 February 1941
Unit: No. 59 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station North Cotes
Died: Air Operations: (No. 59 Squadron Hudson aircraft AM782), North Sea, 21 April 1942, Aged 30 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Nathaniel and Sarah White; husband of Lyla White, of Geelong, Victoria, Australia
Roll of Honour: Highton VIC
Remembered: Panel 113, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey UK
Remembered: Panel 132, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 1220 hours on 21 April 1942 Hudson AM782 took off from North Cotes on a practice flight over the North Sea with other Squadron aircraft. At 1405 hours a message was received from one of the aircraft that it was being attacked by enemy aircraft. AM782 failed to return to base and it was presumed that it had been shot down by the enemy aircraft.
The crew members of AM782 were:
Pilot Officer Michael Gordon Boggon (64902) (RAFVR) (Pilot) Remains recovered
Sergeant John Edgar Howell (1105503) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Pilot Officer Joseph Alexander St Ours (J/7087) (RCAF) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner) Remains recovered
Squadron Leader John St John Thomson (37872) (RAF) (Supernumerary)
Sergeant Nathaniel White (401355) (Observer)
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, 163/177/253