LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant George Bruce DAVIES
Service No: 417460
Born: Adelaide SA, 2 January 1923
Enlisted in the RAAF: 23 May 1942
Unit: No. 1654 Conversion Unit (RAF), RAF Wigsley, Nottinghamshire
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 1654 Conversion Unit Lancaster aircraft L7575), UK, 22 October 1943, Aged 20 Years
Buried: Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Edward Walford Davies and Effie Priscilla Davies, of Wayville, South Australia.
Roll of Honour: Unley SA
Remembered: Panel 121, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
On the 22nd October 1943, Lancaster L7575 took off from RAF Wigsley at 1855 hours, tasked for a command Bullseye. It was suspected that the aircraft encountered heavy severe turbulence, and possibly, icing, which led to a structural failure of the outer wings and tail. At 2012 hours, debris dropped from the skies over Warren House Farm at Colney Heath, three miles south east of St Albans, and all the crew were killed.
The crew members of L7575 were:
Flight Sergeant George Bruce Davies (417460) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Sergeant Henry Thomas Green (1390947) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Albert Rooks (1623561) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Sergeant Edward Percy Stock (1812792) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
Pilot Officer Ewan Moore Taylor (16482) (Pilot)
Sergeant John Fisher Thwaite (1510800) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Pilot Officer Eric Williams (134704) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
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 Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/9/197