LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer Keith WILLETT
Service No: 426206
Born: Brisbane QLD, 29 June 1915
Enlisted in the RAAF: 23 May 1942
Unit: No. 190 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Fairford
Died: Air Operations: (No. 190 Squadron Stirling aircraft LJ829), Netherlands, 20 September 1944, Aged 29 Years
Buried: Arnhem Ooosterbeek War Cemetery, Gelderland, Netherlands
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Edwin William Sankey Willett and Margaret Anderson Hall Willett; husband of Leila Annie Marie Willett, of Gympie, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Manly QLD
Remembered: Panel 132, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 1503 hours on 20 September 1944 Stirling LJ829 took off from Fairford detailed to carry out air operations in the Netherlands. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take-off and it failed to return to base. The aircraft was totally wrecked near Arnhem and all on board were killed.
The crew members of LJ829 were:
Warrant Officer I Thomas William Allen (R/131619) (RCAF) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Warrant Officer I David Lorne Brouse (R/82714) (RCAF) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant Stanley James Cooke (1093155) (RAFVR) (Second Flight Engineer)
Pilot Officer Reginald Austin Davis (413155) (Pilot)
Sergeant Edward Francis Keen (1850765) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Flying Officer Roderick James Matheson (J/20179) (RCAF) (Pilot)
Driver Joseph Francis Leech (T/10663588) (Royal Army Service Corps, 253 Airborne Company)
Lance Corporal Frederick Rexstrew (T/179420) (Royal Army Service Corps, 253 Airborne Company)
Pilot Officer Keith Willett (426206) (Navigator Bomb Aimer)
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, 166/43/862