LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Ernest Harold GUNDERS
Service No: 425301
Born: Mount Morgan QLD, 9 November 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 1 February 1942
Unit: No. 61 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Syerston
Died: Air Operations: (No. 61 Squadron Lancaster aircraft ED722), France, 15 August 1943, Aged 22 Years
Buried: St Desir War Cemetery, Calvados, France
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Samuel Ernest and Elizabeth May Gunders; husband of Norma Jean Gunders, of Mundubbera, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Mundubbera QLD
Remembered: Panel 123, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 2020 hours on the night of 15 August 1943 Lancaster ED722 took off from Syerston detailed to bomb Milan, Italy. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after-take off and it failed to return to base. The aircraft was shot down and five of the crew members were killed, two taken prisoner and one evaded capture.
The crew members of ED722 were:
Flight Sergeant Ernest Harold Gunders (425301) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Sergeant Ernest Alfred Hall (908561) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
Sergeant John Reginald Harrison (1081356) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant T M Hay (1392504) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber) Evaded capture, returned to the UK: 6 November 1943
Pilot Officer James Henry Miller (155221) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Sergeant D R Morgan (611292) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer) PoW
Pilot Officer William Harold Richards (128667) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Sergeant N J Shergold (1434600) (RAFVR) (Second Navigator) PoW
Sergeant Hay later reported “On our outward journey, hits were felt on the aircraft without any warning. Shortly after the bale out order was given. I was out first at about 12,000 feet. The aircraft was diving on a straight course.” The aircraft crashed at Chuisnes, France.”
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, 166/16/150