16 August 1943 - Crash of a Spitfire at Lake Victoria, VIC

CRASH OF SPITFIRE
AT LAKE VICTORIA, VIC
ON 16 AUGUST 1943

visits since 4 May 2001

spitfire.jpg (11205 bytes)

Spitfire

Sergeant David John Stokes (437015) RAAF of No. 2 Operational Training Unit (2 OTU) Mildura died on Monday 16 August 1943 when his Mk V Spitfire aircraft EF588 (A58-160) crashed into Lake Victoria, in Victoria at approximately 1425 hrs. He was aged 18 years.

Sgt. Stokes was engaged in a 'shadow shooting' gunnery exercise at the time. Apparently Sgt. Stokes was flying outside of "standing orders" in relation to altitude and direction resulting in him losing the horizon and ditching into the lake.

Stokes' body was recovered from the wreck and his body buried at the Mildura Public Cemetery, Victoria, Plot C Row A grave 11.

Sergeant David Stokes was the son of John and Hermine Stokes who were residents of Gilberton, South Australia at the time of Stokes' death in 1943.

Click on the photo to enlarge it

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I'd like to thank Peter Smythe for helping me with information for this home page. Peter Smythe has also acknowledged the assistance of two local Mildura historians, John Lever and Ken McKenzie. I'd also like to thank David A Stokes, nephew of the pilot, who has his uncle's Log Book.

Can anyone help me with more information on this crash?