LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Robert Daniel MURDOCH
Service No: 418545
Born: 27 December 1921, Location unavailable
Enlisted in the RAAF: 23 May 1942
Unit: No. 97 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Bourn
Died: Air Operations: (No. 97 Squadron Lancaster aircraft ND478), Denmark, 16 February 1944, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Faaborg New Cemetery, Denmark
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Daniel James Murdoch and Margaret Murdoch, of Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia
Roll of Honour: Castlemaine VIC
Remembered: Panel 127, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 1705 hours on the night of 15 February 1944 Lancaster ND478 took off from Bourn detailed to bomb Berlin. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take-off and it failed to return to base. The aircraft was shot down by a night fighter at a height of 21,000 feet. It crashed near Faaborg on the south coast of Flyn Island, Denmark. Five of the crew members were killed and two became Prisoners of War.
The crew members of ND4678 were:
Sergeant Walter Edward Brown (1389618) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Ralph Terence Charles (1874041) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Sergeant William Dennis French (632441) (RAF) (Flight Engineer)
Pilot Officer J F McLean (RAF) (Pilot) PoW
Flight Sergeant Robert Daniel Murdoch (418545) ((Rear Gunner)
Sergeant Arthur Pestell (1578440) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Flying Officer L Stevens (J/22843) (RCAF) (Air Bomber) PoW
Flying Officer Stevens later reported “On 15 February while flying over enemy territory the aircraft was suddenly attacked and an uncontrollable fire developed. The navigator jettisoned the bombs. While the hatch was being opened I was standing beside the pilot and remember nothing more until I came to falling through the air. After being taken prisoner I was told that there were four bodies in the aircraft. I do not know the fate of the other crew.”
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, 166/28/244