Branch of Service

Air Force

Conflict

World War II (1939-1945)

Date of Enlistment

21/06/1941

Place of Enlistment

Sydney NSW

Gender

Male

Date of Birth

31/10/1920

Place of Birth

Wynyard, Tasmania

Address (at enlistment)

Canberra ACT

Occupation

Public servant

Next of Kin

Son of Alfred Henry and Charlotte May Waite, Goldie Street, Wynyard, Tasmania

Burial Place

Geraldton War Cemetery, grave A.A.10

Service Number

411973

Final Rank

Sergeant

Final Unit

14 Squadron

Died accidentally in a plane crash on 15 March 1943 near Geraldton, Western Australia aged 22 years.

AWM Roll of Honour Memorial Panel 101, Canberra ACT

Waite was a clerk in the Statistician's Branch of the Department of Treasury and a member of the 3rd Battalion (militia) in Canberra prior to enlisting in June 1941. He graduated from the RAAF's 6th Service Flight Training School at Mallala, South Australia on 6 March 1943 and was posted to 14 Squadron at RAAF Base Pearce, north of Perth, Western Australia.

14 Squadron flew coastal and anti-submarine patrols along Western Australia's coastline. Shortly before 6am on 15 March 1943, Waite took off from Geraldton, Western Australia in a Beaufort (A19-173) headed for Carnarvon on an operational flight. It was overcast with cloud cover down to 2000 feet, but for unknown reasons Waite crashed into a 600 foot high hill near Yetna, about 16 miles from the Geraldton aerodrome. All eight men on board were killed. Waite was 22 years of age and is buried in the Geraldton War Cemetery.

WWII Nominal Roll http://www.ww2roll.gov.au
AWM Roll of Honour Database
AWM Roll of Honour Circular
NAA RecordSearch - Series A9301 (RAAF Personnel files of Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) and other ranks, 1921-1948)
The Canberra Times - 20 July 1939, 25 April 1940, 18 March 1943