F/O Reginald Spencer (416035) was born in Birmingham, England on July 13, 1922 and enlisted as Aircrew 2 at 5RC Adelaide on March 3, 1941. After completing training at 1EFTS, 1SFTS and 2OTU was posted to 75 Squadron on October 2, 1942. He arrived back to Mildura 2OTU for Instructor Duties on January 24, 1944.

F/O Spencer aged 21 the Staff Flying Instructor, and F/Lt Joseph Lynch (2328), the two were both aboard Wirraway A20-396 carrying out a cross country exercises on May 1st, 1944, where F/Lt Lynch was taking instruction as part on No.31 Fighter Operational Training Course.

The pair were conducting a low level leg of the cross-country component of the exercise 40km west of the 2OTU aerodrome, when the Wirraway flew into trees at speed and hit the ground bursting into flames, being destroyed by the resulting fire killing both F/Lt J.R. Lynch and F/O R.A. Spencer instantly.

Biography – Mildura 2OTU Heritage Inc