LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Brian Stanley TASKER
Service No: 437172
Born: Torrensville SA, 18 April 1924
Enlisted in the RAAF: 7 November 1942
Unit: No. 61 Squadron (RAF), RAF Skellingthorpe, Lincolnshire
Died: Air Operations (No. 61 Squadron Lancaster aircraft ME443), Germany, 8 February 1945, Aged 20 Years
Buried: Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery, Poland
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Reginald Alexander and Elsie Olive Tasker, of Torrensville, South Australia
Roll of Honour: Thebarton SA
Remembered: Panel 131, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
Lancaster ME443 took off from RAF Skellingthorpe at 1659 hours on the night of 8/9th February 1945, detailed to bomb oil refineries at Politz, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base. The aircraft crashed at Politz near Stettin, Germany. Four of the crew were killed and three became Prisoners of War.
The crew members of ME443 were:
Flight Sergeant W F R Doobyer (1337691) (Air Bomber) PoW
Sergeant Vernon Albert Edwards (1852213) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
Sergeant Stanley William Herring (1898574) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Raymond Murdoch McKenzie (40520) (Wireless Operator Air)
Sergeant T McKnight (1799464) (RAF) (Flight Engineer) PoW
Flying Officer Brian Stanley Tasker (437172) (Pilot)
Flying Officer E Walker (154359) (RAF) (Navigator) PoW
Pilot Officer Walker later reported “The aircraft was hit over the target. I saw McKenzie leave his seat and clip on his chute and think he must have attempted to get the Mid Upper or Rear Gunner out but left it too late. The aircraft was on fire and might have gone into the Baltic Sea. Doobyer and McKnight baled out before me. McKnight was not injured in the attack and he left by the rear exit. I saw Tasker preparing to bale out.”
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, 166/39/462