Flight Sergeant Robert Walter Wetherall Frankish
- Rank
- Flight Sergeant
- Appointment
- Royal Australian Air Force 1943 NW Europe
- Service number
- 415130
- Unit
- 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit Royal Air Force
- Cause of death
- Accidental
- Place of death
- England
- Date of death
- 18 September 1943
- Age
- 27
- Plaque number
- L108A
- Co-located plaques
- L108 - FSGT Kenneth Frankish
- Dedicated by
- His parents on 5 December 1948
- More information
Flight Sergeant Robert Walter Weatherill Frankish 415130 (1916-1943, born Maylands, Western Australia) enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force at Perth, Western Australia, on 21 July 1941 and was trained as a Pilot at Cunderdin and Geraldton, Western Australia. He was sent to the United Kingdom under the Air Training Plan (known as the Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS) in Australia) and attached to the Royal Air Force (RAF) for aircraft conversion training with No.1658 Conversion Unit RAF in Yorkshire prior to entering operational service. On a night training flight on 18 September 1943, a starboard engine of Halifax aircraft JB905 caught fire and the aircraft crashed at Armthorpe killing Flight Sergeant Frankish and two RAF crew members, Sergeant Cyril James Ringer 1320553 of Manor Park, East London, England, and Sergeant Albert James Taylor 1385739 of Popham, Hampshire, England, and injuring two RAF crew members, Sergeant J H Bulmer and Sergeant A C Skinner 1254668.
Flight Sergeant Frankish’s official memorial is his grave in the Harrogate (Stonefall) Cemetery, Yorkshire, England, where his headstone is inscribed with “Treasured memories of our beloved son. His duty nobly done”. His Roll of Honour is Northam, Western Australia.
His honour plaque in Kings Park was dedicated by his parents on 5 December 1948. He is the son of Robert Wetherall Frankish (1895-1966) and Nora Frankish (nee McDermott) (1894-1978) of West Northam. He is the half-brother of Kenneth Thomas Frankish (killed in action).
Flight Sergeant Frankish is remembered with honour.
Note: The cause of death shown on the Honour Plaque is incorrect and should read “Accidental”.