Maxwell Wellman Marsh
From Our Contribution
Personal Information | |
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Date of Birth | 31 Oct 1911 |
Place of Birth | Armadale, Western Australia |
Death | 7 Jul 1944 |
Place of Death | Austria |
Age at Enlistment | 30 years, 3 months |
Next of Kin | Father , Mr Wellman Marsh |
Military Information | |
Reg Number | 41581 |
Date of Enlistment | 1 Feb 1942 |
Rank | Warrant Officer |
Unit/Formation | No. 40 Squadron RAF |
Post War Details | |
Monument(s) | WA State War Memorial |
Australian War Memorial | Australian War Memorial |
Medals | 1939-45 Star |
Pre War
Electoral Roll entries: 1936 at Dattening, Pingelly, farmer; 1937 Hillsprings Station, Carnarvon, jackeroo ; 1943 at Marshlands, West Pingelly, farmer.
War Service
In November 1940 No. 40 Squadron RAF converted to the Vickers Wellington IC, and spent the next year operating as a night bomber squadron with Bomber Command. In October 1941 the squadron's aircraft were flown to Malta, where they operated against targets in Italy and North Africa until May 1942 when the squadron was re-equipped with Vickers Wellington Mk III's. By the time Max joined the Squadron they were flying the Vickers Wellington X model from Foggia Main airfield in Italy against targets in northern Italy and the Balkans. They were still operating out of Foggia when Max failed to return.
Wellington LP195 took off from Foggia Main landing ground, Italy, on 7th July 1944, detailed to attack Feuersbrunn drome near Vienna. The formation of Squadron aircraft encountered German fighters and three of the aircraft, including the one Max was the Air Bomber on (LP195) were shot down in close proximity to St Polten, approx. 57 kilometers west of Vienna. All the crews in the three Squadron aircraft were killed. Max's fellow airmen in LP 195 were:
Crew:
- RAAF 418811 PO R.T. Collins, - Pilot
- RAAF 418923 Flt Sgt R C Dalton, - Navigator
- RAF Sgt D W Nicholls, - Wireless Operator Air
- RAAF 415811 WO M W Marsh, - Air Bomber
- RAF Sgt V Charles, - Air Gunner
The crews of the three aircraft including LP195 are buried in the Klagenfurt War Cemetery, Austria. Klagenfurt is the capital of the Austrian Province of Carpinthia.[1]
Notes
- ↑ RAAF World War 2 Fatalities: v. 2 - RAAF WW2 fatalities RAF squadrons 1 to 50 volume 2 - compilation by Alan Storr