Flight Sergeant Maitland Shackson Whiteley
- Rank
- Flight Sergeant
- Appointment
- Royal Australian Air Force 1944 NW Europe
- Service number
- 415563
- Unit
- 466 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force
- Cause of death
- Killed in Action
- Place of death
- Germany
- Date of death
- 25 July 1944
- Age
- 21
- Plaque number
- L107
- Co-located plaques
- L107A - WOFF Robert Stopher
- Dedicated by
- His parents on 5 December 1948
- More information
Flight Sergeant Maitland Shackson Whiteley 415563 (1923-1944, born Subiaco, Western Australia) enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) at Perth, Western Australia, on 9 November 1941 and was trained as an Air Gunner at Ballarat and West Sale, Victoria. He was sent to the United Kingdom under the Air Training Plan (ATP, known as the Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS) in Australia) serving with No. 466 Squadron RAAF (an ATP Article XV Squadron) in Royal Air Force (RAF) Bomber Command. During a mission to bomb Stuttgart, Germany, on 25 July 1944, Halifax aircraft LV833 is believed to have collided with No. 466 Squadron Halifax aircraft HX243 and crashed in the target area. Seven of the eight crew of LV833 were killed, five RAAF members, Flight Sergeant Whiteley, Flight Sergeant Patrick Joseph Conway 426541 of Brisbane, Queensland, Pilot Officer William Denman Croft 424855 of Dunedoo, New South Wales, Pilot Officer Keith Beresford Smith 422722 of Marrickville, New South Wales, and Flying Officer Ronald James Walsh DFC 420087of Cobargo, New South Wales, and two RAF members, Sergeant Howard Norman Lloyd 1352500 of Beccles, Suffolk, England, and Sergeant Robert Palmer 951869 of Launcells, Cornwall, England, while one RAAF member, Flight Sergeant Keith William Campbell 423220 born Bathurst, New South Wales, became a Prisoner of War.
All seven crew of HX243 were killed, five RAAF members, Flight Sergeant Alan Osborne Beazley 432200 of Sydney, New South Wales, Flight Sergeant Sydney Hartley Davies 418816 of Dunedin, New Zealand, Flight Sergeant Jack Herbert Elder 424165 of Sydney, Flight Sergeant Alfred George Jasper 27289 of Unley, South Australia, and Pilot Officer Henry Blondin Shaw 427155 of Katanning, Western Australia, and two RAF members, Flight Sergeant Peter John Birt 1392403, and Sergeant Ronald England 1591922 of Clayton Heights, Yorkshire, England.
Flight Sergeant Whiteley has no known grave and his official memorial is the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, England, where his name is shown on Panel 262. His Roll of Honour has not been determined.
His honour plaque in Kings Park was dedicated by his parents on 5 December 1948. He is the son of Erskine Shackson Whiteley (1892-1971) and Clara Grace Whiteley (nee James) (1900-1992) of Nedlands, Western Australia.
Flight Sergeant Whiteley is remembered with honour.