Operation: Shipping strike

Date: 27/28th April 1943 (Tuesday/Wednesday)

Unit: No. 221 Squadron (motto: 'From Sea To Sea'), Coastal Command

(note: The crew were members of 458 squadron RAAF on detachment)

Type: Wellington Ic

Serial: AD593

Code: DF-?

Base: RAF Luqa, Malta

Location: Cape Bianco, Sicily.

Pilot: W/O. Alan Lionel Keith R/90509 RCAF Age 22. Missing - believed killed

Pilot 2: Sgt. Archibald William Brighurst 658114 RAF Age 30. Missing - believed killed

Nav: P/O. Jim Cunningham Paroissien Aus/407801 RAAF Age 32. Missing - believed killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Archibald McColl Sutherland 1111507 RAFVR Age 21. Missing - believed killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. George Lyle 1022822 RAFVR Missing - believed killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off from RAF Luqa at 00:55 hrs on a shipping strike thirty miles North/North East Ustica.

The aircraft had dropped some bombs on a Military encampment on the Cape, and had presumably turned out to sea, in order to make another attack, when it approached the coast too low, and crashed head long into a cliff at the Cape point. The remaining bonbs exploded and the machine was scattered over the beach buring.

One man who was interviewed had actually buried some remains in the sand, on the day after the crash, marking the area with an iron cross. These remains are not recovered and have probably been washed away by the tides.

Burial details:

W/O. Alan Lionel Keith. Malta Memorial. Panel 10, Column 2. Also remembered on his brothers grave in Greenwood Cemetery Ontario, Canada Born on the 25th March 1921. Worked as a steelworker prior to service. Enlisted on the 18th February 1941 in North Bay, Ontario. Trained at No. 5 Service Flying Training School, No. 1 Elementary Flying Training School

Son of Lionel Stratford Keith (died 1960, age 67) and Alice E Keith (née Hern - died 1970, age 79), brother of Marion (died 1991, age 91), of 403 John Street, Sault Ste, Marie, Ontario, Canada.

Sgt. Archibald William Brighurst. Malta Memorial. Panel 8, Column 1.Also remembered on the Margate Memorial. He had been a former member of the Isle of Thanet Gazette printing staff before moving to Buckinghamshire. Son of Mrs. Brighurst of 73 Athelstan Road, Faversham, Kent, England. No further details - are you able to assist?

P/O. Jim Cunningham Paroissien. Malta Memorial. Panel 11, Column 1. Born on the 31st December, 1910 in Mount Gambier, South Australia. Enlisted in the Reserves on the 17th June 1940 & served previously with the 3rd Light Horse for 1 year and 11 months, discharged to join the RAAF - he then enlisted in the RAAF on the 06th January 1941 in Adelaide and sailed for overseas in November, 1941.

Son of Thomas (died 09th February 1934, age 83) and Bertha Sarah Paroissien (née Cunningham - died 10th February 1944, age 74), Husband of Mabel Doreen Paroissien (née Johnson - died 05th October 2003), one son, Brian James, of Largs Bay, South Australia. His brother Leonard Tom Paroissien (died 01st May 1958, age 64) served in WW1 (SN684) and also WW2 in the Army (SN S31359) and discharged in 1947.

Fl/Sgt. Archibald McColl Sutherland. Malta Memorial. Panel 7, Column 2. Son of Walter and Isabella McColl Sutherland, of 66 Well Meadow Road, Glasgow, Scotland.

Sgt. George Lyle. Malta Memorial. Panel 9, Column 11. Husband of Mrs. G. Lyle of 27 Daisy Street, Glasgow, Scotland. No further details - are you able to assist?

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to the National Archive Kew, National Archives Australia, WW2 Canadian service files, Parafie RCAF Archives, Paul McGuiness RAAF Archives.

Other pages that may interest you:

Pages regarding 1943 losses

Pages regarding RAAF losses

Pages detailing RCAF losses

Other sources as quoted below:

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
All site material (except as noted elsewhere) is owned or managed by Aircrew Remembered and should not be used without prior permission.
© Aircrew Remembered 2012 - 2024 Last Modified: 24 November 2023, 16:02