Individual Notes

Note for: Barry William Laidler, 22 DEC 1940 - Index

Occupation:   Electronics Technician

Event:
     Type:   Military Service
     Date:   4 MAR 1958

Individual Notes

Note for: Patrick William Laidler, 26 MAR 1916 - 14 APR 1944 Index

Occupation:   Pilot

Burial:
     Date:   APR 1944
     Place:   Botley Cemetery Oxford, Oxfordshire, England

Individual Note:
     Patrick Laidler was educated at Carnarvon Convent School WA. On graduation, he went into partnership with his stepfather (Desmond Stokes) trucking mail to the North West Cape & general cargo around Carnarvon (see photo).

He met & married Veenie Matson, a trapeze artist with Milo's Circus that was visiting Carnarvon. They shifted to Perth and Patrick obtained employment as a bus driver with the Scarbro Bus Co.

During WWII Patrick enlisted in the RAAF. After completing Basic Flying Training at Geraldton WA, he was posted to the UK for conversion to heavy bombers. After graduating on Lancasters he was posted to Bomber Command & completed an Operational Tour of Duty. On completion of the tour the crew elected to stay together & train new crews. They were posted to No 5 LFS (Lancaster Finishing School) being part of 83 HCU (Heavy Conversion Unit) flying out of RAF Syerston, Nottinghamshire. During the training of a new pilot their Lancaster W4103 (see photo) collided with an Airspeed Oxford Trainer LB415 over the village of Screveton just 3 miles from Syerston Airfield. Everyone in both the Lancaster and the Oxford Trainer died in this accident. Pat is buried at Botley Cemetery Oxford.

In 2005 the villagers of Screveton errected a stone monument on the outskirts of their village midway between where the two aircraft crashed in rememberance of the 11 airmen who died & the efforts both pilots made in steering their craft away from the village.

Individual Notes

Note for: Veeni Edwina Horwill Matson, 12 JUL 1922 - 3 MAY 2001 Index

Burial:
     Place:   Adelaide, South Australia

Individual Note:
     Veeni was born in Wagin WA & spent her early years in the SW of WA (Lake King, Denmark & Albany). At age 14 she, in company with her sister Heather, joined Milo's circus. Heather was a flexible lady & Veenie a trapeze artist, their combined income supported the family during the depression of the 1930's.
Performing at Carnarvon she met & married Patrick Laidler. He was later killed in an aircraft collision over England during WWII.
After the war she married George Hill & they moved to the Goldfields for George's work as a builder, returning to Perth in the mid 1950's. From then she lived in Perth & Adelaide dying in Adelaide in 2001

Individual Notes

Note for: Linley Pearl Richardson, 25 FEB 1940 - 24 AUG 1998 Index

Occupation:   Librarian

Burial:
     Place:   Allambe Gardens Nerang Qld

Individual Notes

Note for: Helen Anne Laidler, 14 FEB 1964 - Index

Nickname: Flossie

Individual Notes

Note for: Kim Belinda Laidler, 11 FEB 1965 - Index

Nickname: Kimbo

Individual Notes

Note for: Sandra Lee Laidler, 30 SEP 1967 - Index

Nickname: Sambo

Individual Notes

Note for: Mark Edward Laidler, 25 FEB 1970 - Index

Nickname: Mouse