LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant John Francis YABSLEY
Service No: 423970
Born: Rozelle NSW, 6 February 1915
Enlisted in the RAAF: 18 July 1942
Unit: No. 57 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station East Kirkby
Died: Air Operations: (No. 57 Squadron Lancaster aircraft JB541), Germany, 6 January 1944, Aged 28 Years
Buried: Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery, Poland
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Frederick Leo and Emily Mary Yabsley, of Rozelle, New South Wales, Australia; husband of Eunice Mary Yabsley, of Rozelle
Roll of Honour: Rozelle NSW
Remembered: Panel 133, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 2359 hours on the night of 5 January 1944 Lancaster JB541 took off from East Kirkby detailed to bomb Stettin, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take-off and it failed to return to base. The aircraft was shot down at Stettin, Germany, in the target area and all the crew members were killed.
The crew members of JB541 were:
Sergeant Edgar Alfred Dickhar (1224113) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Pilot Officer Kenneth Alfred Reid Douglas (158022) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Sergeant Harry Gordon (1486294) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Sergeant Leonard Gorman (1490579) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Sergeant George Lawrence Waters (1315374) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Flight Sergeant Charles John Geoffrey Wilce (629850) (RAF) (Wireless Operator Air)
Flight Sergeant John Francis Yabsley (423970) (Rear Gunner)
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, 166/45/36