Moira’s brother, RAAF Pilot, Alan Shelton, was 21 years old when his Halifax plane was shot down over England and crashed on 4 March 1945, killing four of the crew, including Alan.
Navigator, Patrick Hogan, was one of the three crew members who survived the crash. His family grew up with stories about the wartime experiences he shared with his mates, Alan Shelton, Roger Johnson and Greg Dixon. After the War, Pat Hogan often visited the Shelton family home in Elsternwick.
Pat Hogan’s memoirs of RAAF Crew NR179 and of the bonds of friendship they shared are the basis of a chapter in Moira Dynon’s biography – RAAF Flying Officer Alan Shelton.
This chapter is reproduced here.
RAAF Crew NR179
Greg Dixon; Bill Bullen; Roger Laing; Wally Welsh
Roger Johnson; Alan Shelton; Pat Hogan
Moira’s family is greatly indebted to Pat Hogan’s daughter, Elizabeth Lusby, for her determined efforts to ensure that the memory the NR179 Crew lives on. Liz has arranged tangible memorials, notably the memorial plaque on Thixendale Road, near Fridaythorpe, close to the crash site; also, at the International Bomber Command Memorial at Lincoln, Liz arranged a memorial brick on the walkway, inscribed ‘In memory of Crew NR179 HD-C 466 SQN’.
The commemoration and remembrance ceremony, in honour of the Crew, took place on 25 May 2018 and was reported in the local newspaper.
Download the newspaper article here.