LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Donald Richard GILCHRIST
Service No: 407641
Born: Clare SA, 15 November 1912
Enlisted in the RAAF: 7 December 1940
Unit: No. 1654 Conversion Unit (RAF), RAF Wigsley, Nottinghamshire
Died: Air Operations (No. 1654 Conversion Unit Lancaster aircraft W4138), Germany, 17 September 1942, Aged 29 Years
Buried: Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
CWGC Additional Information: Son of James Drennan Gilchrist and Emily Naomi Gilchrist, of Clare, South Australia.
Roll of Honour: Clare SA
Remembered: Panel 122, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
At 2033 hours on the 17th September 1942, Lancaster W4138 took off from RAF Wigsley detailed to attack Essen, Germany. The aircraft was one of nine aircraft which were intercepted by 8 JU88s escorted by 20 ME109s. W4138 was shot down near Willich, some 8 kms south south west of Krefeld. All the crew members were killed.
The crew members of W4138 were:
Flight Sergeant Leslie Edwin Bell (405364) (RNZAF) (Navigator)
Flight Sergeant Stuart Harold Cowley (R/109687) (RCAF) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Murray Rowe Crocker (R/110435) (RCAF) (Rear Gunner)
Sergeant Frederick Hope Huntley (777676) (RAF) (Pilot)
Sergeant Donald Richard Gilchrist (407641) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Ronald Albert Low (572143) (RAF) (Flight Engineer)
Flight Sergeant John Nelson Secoro King (R/75603) (RCAF) (Air Bomber)
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, 163/117/203