LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Robert Clarence NAFFIN
Service No: 416601
Born: North Adelaide SA, 22 February 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 21 July 1941
Unit: No. 101 Squadron (RAF), RAF Ludford Magna, Lincolnshire
Died: Air Operations (No. 101 Squadron Lancaster aircraft ED328), Germany, 24 August 1943, Aged 23 Years
Buried: Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Clarence and Grace Naffin; husband of Diana Stephanie Naffin, of Kington, Herefordshire, England.
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 127, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
Lancaster ED328 took off from RAF Ludford Magna at 2027 hours on the night of 23/24th August 1943, detailed to bomb Berlin. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base. The aircraft crashed at Lanke, 6 kms west of Biesenthal, Germany, and all the crew were killed.
The crew members of ED328 were:
Flight Sergeant Noel Joseph Bullen (409503) (Navigator)
Sergeant John Armstrong Currey (1237454) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant David Morgan Ellis (1031023) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Flight Sergeant Robert Clarence Naffin (416601) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Everard John Phillips (415273) (Rear Gunner)
Sergeant John Henry Phillips (1451351) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Douglas John Tresidder (415104) (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, 166/29/44