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Airey , Walter Richard (W R)

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No photograph available — remembrance poppy
Identity
Person No.
38862
Service No.
4272
Last Name
Airey 3
First Name
Walter Richard
Initials
W R
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
1952 (±1 yr) 288
Age at Death
22
Death Record
Date of Death
04 April 1974 159
Cause code
KIA 14,781
Killed in action
Cause of Death
Killed in action 14,655
Killed in action, Air Operations in Canberra B2 #R2514, north of Musengedzi Mission. 96 x 20lb fragmentation bombs exploded beneath the aircraft as they were dropped, destroying the aircraft and crew
Military Service
Rank
Air Sub-Lieutenant
Regiment
5 Squadron (RSF) 8
Unit
Rhodesian Air Force insignia Rhodesian Air Force 80
Formerly Royal Rhodesian Air Force (1970)
Secondary Unit
Canberra R2156
Defence Force
RSF 2,789
Rhodesian Security Forces
Location
Country
Zimbabwe 2,787
Locality
Harare (Salisbury) 1,462
Cemetery
HARARE (WARREN HILLS) CREMATORIUM 128
Grave Reference
Cremated 49
Memorial
Memorial
All Rhodesian Aircrew Memorial
Location
Ste. Marguerite des Loges, Normandy, France
Panel
Not listed against a numbered panel
On the panel
Position on the panel will be added with photographs
Unit History
Part of
Rhodesian Security Forces
Notes

Born at Tunbridge-Wells, United Kingdom. ref. "Rhodesian Roll of Honour" by P. Geldenhuys (Roll compiled by Dr. J. R. T. Wood). Amendments from "Rhodesian Combined Forces Roll of Honour 1966-1981", by Adrian Haggett and Gerry van Tonder.
Rhodesian Air Force Operations Roll of Honour: KIA — Canberra B2, with Keith Goddard [Canberra R2156 (ASR 127)].

Research notes

Geldenhuys, Prop. Rhodesian Air Force Operations with Air Strike Log. Just Done Productions / Lulu, 2007 (ISBN 978-1-920169-61-9).
5 Sep 2026: Regiment/Unit swapped -- "5 Squadron (RSF)" (the specific squadron) moved to Regiment; "Rhodesian Air Force" (the force-wide designation) moved to Unit, per John's decision.

Citations

***Not yet accepted for War Grave Status by CWGC, need service file

External References
Stories 1
by Prop Geldenhuys (Air Force Operations Roll of Honour) on 26 August 2026
Rhodesian Air Force Operations — Roll of Honour

KIA. Canberra B2, with Keith Goddard Aircraft/serial: Canberra R2156 (ASR 127). Listed in Prop Geldenhuys, Rhodesian Air Force Operations with Air Strike Log (2007), Roll of Honour.
Dedications

No dedications have been added yet.