Flying Officer Bell E. G.
Fatal Air Crash .. Mishap near Violet Town .. Pilot and Navigator Killed
Headstone in Benalla Cemetery
Both of the occupants (who were members of the RAF) were killed instantly. Next of kin of each of the victims reside in England. The bodies were brought to Benalla and burial took place this afternoon in the military section of the Benalla cemetery.
The caskets containing the bodies were placed side by side in Holy Trinity Church of England, where a service was conducted by Canon R C H Crigan and the Padre of the Benalla Air School, after the which the funeral left for the Benalla cemetery.
The service at the grave side, which was most impressive, was conducted by the Padre, and carried out with full Military Honours. The caskets, draped with the Union Jack, were carried by twelve Air Force Officers, while two of the deceased's fellow officers from their Squadron at Narromine, NSW and two R.A.A.F.
Officers carried the many beautiful floral tributes. The victims of the fatality were buried in adjoining graves, the coffins being lowered simultaneously.
An impressive silence was broken by the sounding of the Last Post by a bugler from the Benalla Air School. The funeral arrangements were in the hands of Messrs Todd and O'Brien, funeral directors of Benalla. 'Benalla Standard' 21/6/1945
Flight Lieutenant E. B. Sillito
Fatal Air Crash .. Mishap near Violet Town .. Pilot and Navigator Killed
Headstone in Benalla Cemetery
While on a non operational flight on Tuesday last June 19th an aeroplane piloted by Flying Officer E C Bell, who had as navigator Flight Lieutenant E B Sillito. dived into the ground two miles south of Violet Town and caught fire on impact. Both of the occupants (who were members of the R.A.F.) were killed instantly.
Next of kin of each of the victims reside in England. The bodies were brought to Benalla and burial took place this afternoon and burial took place this afternoon in the Military section of the Benalla Cemetery. The caskets containing the bodies were placed side by side in Holy Trinity Church of England, where a service was conducted by Canon R C H Crigan and the Padre of the Benalla Air School after the funeral left for the Benalla Cemetery. The service at the grave side, which was most impressive, was conducted by the Padre and carried out with full Military Honours.
The caskets, draped with the Union Jack, were carried by 12 Air Force Officers, while two of the deceased's fellow officers from their Squadron at Narromine (NSW) and two R.A.A.F. Officers carried the many beautiful floral tributes.
The victims of the fatality were buried in adjoining graves, the coffins being lowered simultaneously. An impressive silence was broken by the sounding of the Last Post by a bugler from the Benalla Air School.
The funeral arrangements were in the hands of Messrs Todd and O'Brien. 'Benalla Standard' Thursday June 21SI 1945.