LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer Alfred Edward LUTZ
Service No: 429710
Born: South Perth WA, 20 June 1912
Enlisted in the RAAF: 21 October 1942
Unit: No. 1654 Heavy Conversion Unit (RAF), RAF Station Wigsley, Nottinghamshire
Died: Air Operations: (No. 1654 Heavy Conversion Unit Lancaster aircraft LM748), Lincolnshire, 4 March 1945, Aged 32 years
Buried: Oxford (Botley) Cemetery, Oxfordshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Louis August Alfred and Margaret Maud Lutz, of Perth, Western Australia; husband of Melva Esther Lutz, of South Como, Western Australia
Roll of Honour: Perth WA
Remembered: Panel 126, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Cenotaph Undercroft, State War Memorial, Kings Park WA
On 4 March 1945, Lancaster LM748 took off from Wigsley as part of a diversionary force of ninety-five aircraft supporting main force operations. The aircraft was shot down a few miles from the aerodrome at 0105 hours by an enemy intruder aircraft (Operation Gisela), coming down approximately 250 yards east of Stapleford, 10 miles south south west of Lincoln. All on board were killed.
The crew members of LM748 were:
Flight Sergeant Henry Francis Cox (1583336) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Flying Officer John Austin Charles Chapman (164041) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Sergeant Alan Churchill Davy (1816775) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
Sergeant Harry Frost (1647508) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Pilot Officer Alfred Edward Lutz (429710) (Pilot)
Sergeant Stanley Shaw (957767) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Sergeant Arthur Frank Warbey (1853234) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
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, 166/25/275