LEST WE FORGET

Flight Sergeant George John Patrick O’BRIEN

Service No: 423174
Born: Haberfield NSW, 1 April 1923
Enlisted in the RAAF: 20 June 1942
Unit: No. 106 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Metheringham
Died: Air Operations: (No. 106 Squadron Lancaster aircraft RA503), North West Europe, 12 March 1945, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Mr. and Mrs. H. J. O’Brien, of Petersham, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 284, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey UK
Remembered: Panel 128, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT

At 1330 hours on 12 March 1945 Lancaster RA503 took off from Metheringham to attack Dortmund, Germany. RA503 was one of fourteen squadron aircraft on the mission. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take-off and it did not return to base. Following post war enquiries and investigations, it was recorded in 1950 that the missing crew members had no known graves.

The crew members of RA503 were:

Pilot Officer Frank Ernest Baker (49319) (RAF) (Pilot)
Sergeant Donovan Yukin Carter (1594696) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Flight Sergeant William Joseph Cooper (1577019) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Flight Sergeant Hunter Gillender (R/192634) (RCAF) (Rear Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Herbert George Harding (1601210) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Sergeant Kenneth Robert Haw (1595485) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Flight Sergeant George John Patrick O’Brien (423174) (Wireless Operator Air)

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, 166/31/336

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