LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Charles George DEGENHARDT
Service No: 400426
Born: Murtoa VIC, 7 October 1916
Enlisted in the RAAF: 5 February 1940
Unit: No. 11 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 11 Squadron Blenheim aircraft V5644), Egypt-Libya border area, 22 November 1941, Aged 25 Years
Buried: Halfaya Sollum War Cemetery, Egypt
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Herbert Charles and Elizabeth Frances Degenhardt, of Geelong West, Victoria, Australia
Roll of Honour: Geelong VIC
Remembered: Panel 121, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
During operations is the Western Desert on 22 November 1941,V5644 was damaged in the Óbserver’s Compartment as a result of anti-aircraft fire, and the observer Flying Officer Degenhardt died from his wounds. The other two crew members were unhurt.
The crew members of V5644 were:
Second Lieutenant R J Burrage (102345) (SAAF) (Pilot) Uninjured
Flying Officer Charles George Degenhardt (400426) (Observer)
Flight Lieutenant L W Macey (999446) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner) Uninjured
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, 163/27/102