LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer George RETALLACK
Service No: 4091 (1605)
Born: Carnarvon WA, 2 November 1911
Enlisted in the RAAF: 15 February 1939
Unit: No. 3 Advanced (Pilot) Flying Training Unit (RAF), RAF Halfpenny Green (Bobbington), Staffordshire
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 3 Advanced Flying Training Unit Airspeed Oxford aircraft LX410), Wiltshire, 1 August 1945, Aged 33 Years
Buried: Bath (Haycombe) Cemetery, Somerset UK
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Richard John and Jeannie Retallack; husband of Mary Gladys Retallack, of Nedlands, Western Australia.
Roll of Honour: Perth WA
Remembered: Panel 129, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Cenotaph Undercroft, State War Memorial, Kings Park WA
On the 1st August 1945, Oxford LX410 was being ferried to the parent unit for major repairs, and crashed at 1200 hours at Braydon Pond, Wiltshire. The aircraft circled Braydon Pond, then went round again and struck a telegraph pole crashing into a farm house, killing both service members on board. The Pilot was engaging in unauthorised low flying.
On board LX410 were:
Corporal George Henry Fearnley Adams (957003) (RAFVR) (Supernumerary)
Flying Officer George Retallack (1605) (Pilot)
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, 166/35/626