LEST WE FORGET
Wing Commander Vernon Charles WOOD AFC
From Australia serving in the Royal Air Force
Service No: 37309 (RAF)
Born: Date, Location unavailable
Enlisted in the RAF: Date unavailable
Unit: No. 604 Squadron (RAF)
Awarded the Air Force Cross (AFC)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 604 Squadron Beaufighter aircraft V8251), off Eastbourne, 17 April 1943, Aged 29 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Mrs. E. G. Wood, of Kolora, Victoria, Australia; husband of Brenda Wood, of Marsh Green, Kent
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 118, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey UK
Remembered: Supplementary Panel 12, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Wing Commander Wood was an Australian Cadet trained for the RAF who embarked for the UK on 16 July 1935.
Beaufighter V8251 was lost during a night patrol off Eastborne on 17 April 1943. The crew members were:
Flying Officer Frederick William Larcey DFC (129668) (RAF) (Navigator Wireless)
Wing Commander Vernon Charles Wood AFC (37309) (RAF) (Pilot)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Franks, Norman L R Royal Air Force Fighter Command Losses of the Second World war Volume 2 Operational Losses: Aircraft and Crews 1942-1943, Midland Publishing Leicester UK, 1998
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/44/28
Newton, Dennis A Few of the Few: Australians and the Battle of Britain, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT 2600, 1990