LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Geoffrey Walter FISHER
Service No: 400555
Born: Burnley VIC, 1 October 1919
Enlisted in the RAAF: 15 September 1940
Unit: No. 39 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Air Operation: (No. 39 Squadron Beaufort aircraft N1092), off the Greek Coast, 26 December 1941, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Walter Fisher, and of Myrtle Doris Fisher, of Elsternwick, Victoria, Australia
Roll of Honour: Elsternwick VIC
Remembered: Column 246, Alamein Memorial, Egypt
Remembered: Panel 122, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 26 December 1941 Beaufort N1092 took off to carry out an operational flight over Crete. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take-off and it did not return to base. Following post war enquiries and investigations, it was established that the body of Pilot Officer Wallington was washed ashore and interred. It was also reported that the remains of Sergeant Fisher were washed ashore on the Island of Koufonissi. Local inhabitants stated that a body was found in January 1942 on the beach and buried by Italian soldiers then in occupation. The grave was marked with a cross. However the remains were subsequently lost owing to the grave being washed away by waves and high tides. In 1950 it was recorded that following a visit, a wooden cross was found on the beach but a grave could not be located, and Sergeant Fisher was recorded as missing with no known grave.
The crew members of N0192 were:
Sergeant Geoffrey Walter Fisher (400555) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Victor Edwin Miles (746986) (RAFVR) (Observer)
Sergeant Clifford Townend (955473) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Pilot Officer Louis George Ralph Wallington (66548) (RAFVR) (Pilot) Remains recovered
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, 163/112/93