LEST WE FORGET

Flight Sergeant Geoffrey Francis RITCHIE

Service No: 412700
Born: Earlwood NSW, 11 May 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 20 July 1941
Unit: No. 461 Squadron, Pembroke Dock
Died: Air Operations: (No. 461 Squadron Sunderland aircraft JM707), Bay of Biscay, 30 August 1943, Aged 21 years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Francis Edward Louis and Ivy May Ritchie, of Parkes, New South Wales, Australia. Champion Bugler and King’s Scout
Roll of Honour: Lismore NSW
Remembered: Panel 193, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey UK
Remembered: Panel 108, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Rathmines Memorial Bowling Club, Rathmines NSW
Remembered: Lismore Cenotaph, Lismore NSW

Aircraft captained by Flight Lieutenant Skinner of No. 10 and Flying Officer Croft of No. 461 were lost in similar circumstances (attacks by German fighter aircraft in the Bay of Biscay) on 18th and 30th August respectively.

Extract from Herington, J. (John) (406545) Air War Against Germany and Italy 1939-1943, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1954 – Page 618

The crew members of JM707 were:

Flying Officer Gregory James Bushell (412385) (Observer)
Flying Officer Cedric Robert Croft (403648) (Pilot)
Sergeant Harold James Ferrett (921970) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Warrant Officer John Gamble MID (405105) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Ronald George Harris (409113) (Third Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Richard James Hunter (415661) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Geoffrey Francis Ritchie (412700) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Horace Smedley (942515) (RAFVR) (Wireless Mechanic / Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Walter Stewart (1379989) (RAFVR) (Flight Mechanic Engines / Air Gunner)
Pilot Officer Jack Alwyn Tamsett (412751) (Second Pilot)
Flight Sergeant William Yeomans (415749) (Wireless Air Gunner)

References:

Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A9186, 148 (No. 461 Squadron Operations Record Book)
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line

Bibliography:

Ashworth, N. (Norman) The ANZAC Squadron: A history of No. 461 Squadron RAAF 1942-5, Hesperian Press Victoria Park WA 6100, 1994
Baff, K.C (Kevin), Maritime is Number Ten, K.C. Baff Netley SA, 1983
Joubert, P.B. (Sir Phillip Bennet) Birds and Fishes: the story of Coastal Command, Hutchinson and Company London, 1960
Southall, I.F. (Ivan Francis) (418900) They Shall Not Pass Unseen, Angus and Robertson Sydney NSW, 1956
Wilson, S. (Stewart) Anson, Hudson and Sunderland in Australian Service, Aerospace Publications Weston Creek ACT 2611, 1992

Book Now Book Now