LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Roy Allen WILLIS
Service No: 406543
Born: Fremantle WA, 8 May 1919
Enlisted in the RAAF: 6 January 1941
Unit: No. 48 Squadron (RAF), RAF Wick, Highland, Scotland
Died: Air Operations (No. 48 Squadron Hudson aircraft FH378), North Sea, 15 July 1942, Aged 23 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of John and Ruby Evelyn Willis, of East Fremantle, Western Australia.
Roll of Honour: Fremantle WA
Remembered: Panel 113, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey UK
Remembered: Panel 132, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Cenotaph Undercroft, State War Memorial, Kings Park WA
Hudson FH378 of 48 Squadron took off from RAF Station Wick at 1150 hours on 15 July 1942 to carry out a “Trost” patrol. The estimated time of arrival back at base was 1810 hours, but nothing was heard from the aircraft and it did not return to base.
The crew members of FH378 were:
Sergeant George Dogue (R/69391) (RCAF) (Navigator)
Sergeant Thomas Bruce Langoulant (406531) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Squadron Leader Varley Allen Pedersen (41458) (RAF) (Pilot)
Sergeant Roy Allen Willis (406543) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Following post war enquiries and investigations, it was established that the remains of Squadron Leader Petersen was recovered from the sea in the vicinity of the Island of Froya, and interred in the Stavne Cemetery, Trondhiem, Norway. It was recorded in 1948 that the other missing crew members had lost their lives at sea.
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 A9301, 406543
Bibliography:
Gaston, Bruce DFC, Harry Horner DFC OAM, Raymond Storer (Editors), Aircrew for the Duration: of and by members of RAAF EATS Courses 10, 11, 12 & 13, Gaston Horner and Storer Nedlands WA, 1990