COX, Maxwell
Service Number: | 424379 |
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Enlisted: | 12 September 1942 |
Last Rank: | Flying Officer |
Last Unit: | RAF Conversion Units |
Born: | Tingha, New South Wales, Australia, 5 April 1917 |
Home Town: | Macleod, Banyule, Victoria |
Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
Occupation: | Wood Carter |
Died: | Accidental, United Kingdom, 3 September 1944, aged 27 years |
Cemetery: |
Chester (Blacon) Cemetery, Chester, England Sec. A. Grave 233. |
Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, International Bomber Command Centre Memorial |
World War 2 Service
12 Sep 1942: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Aircraftman 2 (WW2), 424379, Aircrew Training Units | |
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12 Sep 1942: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 424379 | |
3 Sep 1944: | Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 424379, RAF Conversion Units , Empire Air Training Scheme, No. 1656 Heavy Conversion Unit RAF |
Crash site location
In 1996 there was a knock on my door one evening and it was the daughter of Flying Officer Maxwell Cox 424379. I live in Llangollen,Norh Wales ,United Kingdom. She had been told of my interest in WW2 crash sites and wondered if I had any info on the crash (3/9/1944)
I live nearby to Trevor and told her that no Halifax bomber had crashed there,but after a while I realised that it was Trefor on the Llyn Peninsula which was about 80 miles away. She asked if we could go there but from many years experience, I knew the terrain would be very inhospitable. She was returning to Australia soon after and I told her I would plan to find the site on my next trip. My friend and I discovered the site and I wrote to tell her but received no reply.
If anyone knows a relative Of Maxwell Cox or indeed any other crew member,I would love to hear from them.
I visited the site again last week and there is nothing to be seen there now.
It is a stark reminder of the tragic accidents that happened in the Welsh hills on training exercises. The crews were unaware of the mountains in bad weather and when desperate for a visual fix, dropped below the statutory height level to try and find where they were.
I paid my respects there to a very brave crew who were nearing the end their operations.
We will never forget them.
Submitted 8 October 2019 by Barry Evans