LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer Ronald Wilkins TAYLOR DFM
Service No: 402263
Born: 25 December 1910, location unavailable
Enlisted in the RAAF: Date unavailable
Unit: No. 7 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Oakington
Awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 7 Squadron Stirling aircraft W7467), Cambridgeshire, 17 January 1942, Aged 31 Years
Buried: Cambridge City Cemetery, Cambridgeshire,
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Alfred and Rose Ann Taylor; husband of Doreen Fay Taylor, of Strathfield, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Newcastle NSW
Remembered: Panel 131, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
DFM Citation: In December 1941 this airmen was Captain of an aircraft which participated in a daylight attack on the battle cruisers in Brest harbour. Despite intense ack-ack and fighter opposition Flight Sergeant Taylor displayed the highest standard of flying skill and air tactics and never lost formation throughout the attack. In November 1941 he was Captain of one of two aircraft to carry out a daylight attack on shipping at Borkum. During the operation the two aircraft were intercepted by enemy aircraft two of which were shot down and one damaged. Flight Sergeant Taylor has taken part in many major attacks against important targets in enemy territory. Throughout he has shown the greatest courage and determination.” Pilot Officer Taylor was granted his commission two days before he died.
On 17 January 1942 Stirling W7467 took off from Oakington on a training flight. The aircraft crashed at 1540 hours nearly 2 miles north of Earith, 12 miles north west of Cambridge following an unauthorised practice attack by a Hurricane V6865 from 56 Operational Training Unit. The Court of Inquiry found that the accident occurred from “an error of judgement on the part of the Hurricane pilot when carrying out an unauthorised practice attack on the Stirling aircraft.” All the crew members of W7467 and the pilot of V6865 were killed.
The crew members of W7467 were:
Sergeant Edward Blacklaw (967185) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Sergeant Francis Joseph Lloyd (916338) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Pilot Officer Alan John Low (106522) (RAFVR) (Navigator under training)
Sergeant James McCarley (1355118) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator)
Sergeant Walter James Mankelow (901548) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Squadron Leader John Noel Mahler DFC (37452) (RAF) (Second Pilot) (attached from No. 218 Squadron RAF)
Pilot Officer Ronald Wilkins Taylor DFM (402263) (Pilot)
Pilot Officer James Douglas Waddell (108046) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
The pilot of V6865 was:
Pilot Officer Derek Malcolm Browne (107991) (RAFVR)
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, 163/165/98