LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Robert Henry KEATING
Service No: 429461
Born: Brisbane QLD, 3 January 1924
Enlisted in the RAAF: 8 October 1942
Unit: No. 467 Squadron, RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire
Died: Air Operations: (No. 467 Squadron Lancaster aircraft ED994), Germany, 6 January 1944, Aged 20 Years
Buried: Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery, Poland
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Richard Wallace and Eveline Mabel Keating, of Lutwyche, Queensland, Australia.
Roll of Honour: Brisbane QLD
Remembered: Panel 111, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Date: 5-6 January 1944
Target: Stettin
Total Force: Dispatched – 358 Attacking – 348
RAAF Force: No. 460 Dispatched – 18, Attacking – 18; No. 463 Dispatched – 8, Attacking – 7; No. 467 Dispatched – 11, Attacking – 11
Tons of Bombs Dropped: 1,118
Total Aircraft Lost: 15
RAAF Aircraft Lost: No. 467 – 2
In January 1944, in addition to Berlin, three other cities in central and northern Germany were attacked, both because of their intrinsic importance and to spread enemy defences. Stettin had been left undisturbed for over eight months. Distracted by a feint against Berlin the enemy fighter defences were caught napping until the raid was almost completed. Australian Lancasters in the van
of the bomber stream saw only one night fighter, and at Stettin found the weather clear and the target markers well placed. Bombing began well and all the Australian reports were enthusiastic, but later the attack undershot to the west of the town and only about 20 per cent of all bombs actually hit the town. The hazards of a densely-packed bomber stream were increasing as the planned time over targets was cut to a minimum, and several Lancasters were forced to take evasive action to avoid bombs falling from aircraft flying directly overhead. Another freak result evident on this night was the destruction of a Ju-88 by Pilot Officer Donald Campbell Balfour (406402) of No. 207 Squadron RAF without a shot being fired. The night fighter was actually attacking a near-by Lancaster and approached Balfour’s aircraft just as Balfour decided to climb steeply away, so that his port wing struck the fighter and sent it spinning down to crash and burn on the ground.
Extract from Herington, J. (John) (406545) Air War Against Germany and Italy 1939-1943, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1954 – Pages 654-5
Lancaster ED994 took off from RAF Waddington at 2359 hours on the night of 5/6th January 1944 to bomb Stettin, Poland. Bomb load 3 x 1000 lb (pound) (450 kg), 1 x 500 lb (225 kg) bombs, 44 x 30 lb (14 kg), 940 x 4 lb (2 kg) incendiaries. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it did not return to base. Eleven aircraft from the Squadron took part in the raid and two of these including ED 994 failed to return. Post war it was established that the aircraft crashed north of Stettin.
The crew members of ED994 were:
Flight Sergeant Kenneth Nigel Bishop Davies (411293) (Bomb Aimer)
Flight Sergeant Eric Albert Joyce (410496) (Navigator)
Flight Sergeant Robert Henry Keating (429461) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Sergeant W King (1568124) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer) PoW
Sergeant James William Neeve (1673669) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
Flying Officer Colin Irwin Reynolds (415276) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Henry Morton Vellenoweth (410494) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
In a later statement Sergeant King reported “Reynolds was killed at his post and went down with the aircraft. Flight Sergeants Keating and Vellenoweth killed and went down with the aircraft, which crashed about 15 minutes north of Stettin.”
No. 467 Squadron lost Lancaster LM431 (Pilot Officer Frank Andrew Connolly (409666) (Pilot)) on 6 January 1944.
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, 166/22/172