Date:	Friday 17 September 1943
Time:	day
Type:	de Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth
Owner/operator:	10 EFTS, RAAF
Registration:	A17-435
MSN:	DHA.625
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	7 miles North East of Temora, Riverina, NSW -   Australia
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAAF Temora, NSW (TEM/YTEM)
Destination airport:	RAAF Temora, NSW (TEM/YTEM)

Narrative:
c/no DHA.625: Taken on charge as A17-435 at 2 Aircraft Depot, Richmond 18.10.41. To 12 EFTS Bundaberg, Queensland 14.11.41; to Lowood, Queensland 2.1.42. To 10 EFTS Temora, NSW 30.3.42. Crashed 7 miles North East of Temora, NSW 27.9.43. Probable cause: Considered aircraft caught in very severe turbulance and down draught on leeward side of hill.

On 27 September 1943, Tiger Moth A17-435 of 10 EFTS Temora crashed during a low flying exercise east of Temora in New South Wales. The aircraft caught fire after the crash killing Flying Officer James Edward Gerrard Fawcett (425292) an instructor of 10 EFTS, RAAF Temora, NSW. The trainee pilot, who is believed to have been LAC Stephen Charles Sneesby (433667), was able to escape the burning wreckage.

As briefly reported in a contemporary local newspaper (Daily Mercury (Mackay, Qld.) Wednesday 29 September 1943 Page 3)

"AIR FORCE CRASH:
BRISBANE, Tuesday
Flying Officer James E. Fawcett, only son of Captain and Mrs. J. Fawcett, New Farm, was killed in a flying accident at an Air Force training school in New South Wales yesterday. He was formerly a traveller for W. D. and H. O. Wills".

Flying Officer James Fawcett was highly regarded in Temora and had only recently been married. His wife Aileen's wedding dress was interred with her late husband. James Fawcett lived in Gladstone, Queensland before the war.

Wreck to 5 Aircraft Depot, RAAF Wagga Wagga, NSW 18.10.43 and struck off charge same day. Authorised to be reduced to scrap and components.

Temora is a town in the north-east of the Riverina area of New South Wales, 418 kilometres (260 miles) south-west of the state capital, Sydney. Temora Airport (IATA: TEM, ICAO: YTEM) the former RAAF Temora, is a small airport located 2 nautical miles (3.7 km; 2.3 miles) northwest of Temora, New South Wales, Australia.

1. "Wings over Temora" by Ron Maslin
2. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH82.pdf
3. Daily Mercury (Mackay, Qld.) Wednesday 29 September 1943 Page 3 AIR FORCE CRASH: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/170769559
4. https://www.ozatwar.com/ozcrashes/nsw147.htm
5. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a17b.htm
6. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/pAus6.html
7. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/120342508/james-edward_gerard-fawcett
8. https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P10307032
9. CWGC: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2246395/james-edward-gerard-fawcett/
10. https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/627695
11. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/wardead/details.php?qnum=71550
12. https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=7127228
13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temora_Airport#History
14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temora,_New_South_Wales#Air

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
29-Mar-2025 00:51	Dr. John Smith	Added