LEST WE FORGET

Flight Sergeant Louis Michael Gabriel BAKER DFM

Service No: 426507
Born: Brisbane QLD, 2 October 1915
Enlisted in the RAAF: 18 July 1942
Unit: No. 166 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Kirmington
Awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 166 Squadron Lancaster aircraft DV367), France, 8 June 1944, Aged 28 Years
Buried: Clichy Northern Cemetery, Hauts-de-Seine, France
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Patrick Albert and Catherine Therese Baker, husband of Ruth Marie Baker, of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Brisbane QLD
Remembered: Panel 118, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT

DFM Citation: “Throughout his tour Flight Sergeant Baker has set a fine example of courage and devotion to duty, and has displayed fearless in the face of the enemy. His cool manner and alertness under fire have been worthy of the highest praise. This airman has participated in many attacks as Rear Gunner against a variety of targets, including seven attacks against Berlin.” (London Gazette, 25 January 1946

Lancaster DV367 took off from RAF Kirmington at 2359 hours on the night of 7/8 June 1944 detailed to bomb railway facilities at Versailles, France. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base. The aircraft was shot down by a night fighter and crashed near St-Cyr-l’Ecole (Yvelines) and all the crew members were killed.

The crew members of DV367 were:

Flight Sergeant Louis Michael Gabriel Baker DFM (426507) (Rear Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Thomas William Hill DFM (1040830) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Flight Sergeant Gordon Leo Nordbye DFM (R/149600) (RCAF) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Roderick Osborne DFM (1577092) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Flight Lieutenant Ross Powdrill DFC (J/19169) (RCAF) (Pilot)
Sergeant Henry Evan Wade Simpson DFM (1806333) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Flight Sergeant Leslie Wright DFM (1430225) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)

All the Distinguished Flying Medals for those above were gazetted in the London Gazette of 25 January 1946.

References:

Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/5/558

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