LEST WE FORGET
Warrant Officer Graham Morris BAGSHAW
Service No: 417779
Born: Unley Park SA, 30 September 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 31 December 1941
Unit: No. 138 Squadron (RAF), RAF Tuddenham, Suffolk
Died: Air Operations (No. 138 Squadron Lancaster aircraft RF143), Germany, 15 April 1945, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Clarence Dale Bagshaw and Ella Maud Hamilton Bagshaw, of North Unley, South Australia.
Roll of Honour: Unley SA
Remembered: Panel 118, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
Lancaster RF143 took off from RAF Tuddenham at 1813 hours on the night of 14 April 1945, detailed to bomb Potsdam, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base. During the mission the aircraft was coned by searchlights and shot down by a night fighter. Six of the crew were killed and Flying Officer Neve survived the crash and was safe.
The crew members of RF143 were:
Warrant Officer Graham Morris Bagshaw (417779) (Wireless Operator)
Sergeant Thomas Anthony Cotter (1903525) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Flying Officer Granville Horsaman (153841) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Stephen Larcombe (1338252) (RAF) (Second Pilot)
Flying Officer J A Neve (RAF) (Air Bomber) Survived
Sergeant Harold Victor Stokes (2223471) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Flying Officer Vincent Rees MacDonald Williams (164241) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
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, 166/5/657