Flight Sergeant William Murray Mullins (418542) served in the Royal Australian Air Force during World War Two. He was attached to RAF No. 5 Operational Training Unit at the time of his death in November 1943. He was the son of Patrick Murray Mullins and Julia Ethel Mullins of 5 Hyde Street, Footscray, Victoria, Australia.
William died on 29th November 1943 aged 29 years old. He was a wireless operator/air gunner on board Lockheed Hudson AM694. The crew took off from RAF Long Kesh, near Lisburn, Co. Antrim at 1520hrs on 29th November 1943. The non-operational flight was a bombing exercise over Lough Neagh. At 1609hrs, the Australian crew completed their task but proceded towards Templepatrick, carrying out a series of steep turns over Loughermore Estate near Dunadry, Co. Antrim. They were due to return to base and this section of the flight was unauthorised.
During one of these turns, the pilot throttled back both engines and the plane lost height rapidly. The engines stalled and the port wing struck the ground. The Hudson burst into flames and all those on board died in the impact.
Australian War Memorial Photo: SUK11634. The graves of Flight Sergeants William Murray Mullins (418542) and Alan Gilbert Potter (417302) of the Royal Australian Air Force. Photo taken on 12th March 1944.
Remembering the crew of Hudson AM694
| Last Name | First Name(s) | Rank | Role | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keane | John Russell | Flying Officer | Pilot | RAAF 409839. |
| Connell | Francis Aloysius | Flying Officer | Navigator | RAAF 421168. |
| Mullins | William Murray | Flight Sergeant | Wireless Operator/Air Gunner | RAAF 418542. |
| McDonald | Norman Francis Dougald | Flight Sergeant | Wireless Operator/Air Gunner | RAAF 418001. |
William Murray Mullins’ grave is in Section E, Grave 34A of Eglantine Church of Ireland, Lisburn, Co. Antrim. His name is on Panel 127 of the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Australia. His headstone in Co. Antrim bears the inscription:
We will always remember you.
ANZAC airmen John Russell Keane, Francis Aloysius Connell, and Norman Francis Dougald McCallum also died in the same aviation accident.