LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Robert Spencer YELL DFC
Service No: 413471
Born: Carcoar NSW, 10 December 1919
Enlisted in the RAAF: 17 August 1941
Unit: No. 12 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Wickenby
Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 12 Squadron Lancaster aircraft JB542), Germany, 14 January 1944, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Hanover War Cemetery, Niedersachsen, Germany
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Frank and Margery Jean Yell, of Murga, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Eugowra NSW
Remembered: Panel 133, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Eugowra Presbyterian War Memorial Hall, Eugowra NSW
Remembered: Eugowra War Memorial, Eugowra NSW
DFC Citation: Pilot Officer Yell has shown a high degree of determination and fortitude during his operations. He has completed eight sorties to Berlin and four to Hamburg. On one occasion while attacking Berlin the whole electrical system of the aircraft failed causing complete breakdown of wireless transmission, Intercom apparatus in addition to bomb release gear and instruments. Despite the various obstacles Pilot Officer Yell continued to the target, releasing his bombs by hand and flying the aircraft safely back to base. On many other occasions he has displayed outstanding gallantry and determination (London Gazette 15 February 1944 page 794)
Lancaster JB542 took off from Wickenby at 1621 hours on the night of 14/15 January 1944 to bomb Brunswick, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take-off and it failed to return to base. Post war a Missing Research and Enquiry Unit reported: “the aircraft was shot down by a night fighter and crashed about 2 miles south east of Burgdorf.” All the crew members had been killed.
The crew members of JB542 were:
Sergeant Sidney Bates (1816580) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
Sergeant Thomas Arthur Finch (1331869) (RAFVR) (Bomb Aimer)
Sergeant William John Charles MacDonald (1802341) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Pilot Officer Kenneth Robert Middlemiss DFC (J/19034) (RCAF) (Navigator)
Flight Sergeant Joseph Henry Nutt (1210237) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Kenneth Basil Reeves DFM (1575770) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Flying Officer Robert Spencer Yell DFC (413471) (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 Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/45/37
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line