LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Ronald Kenneth BANNEAR
Service No: 407817
Born: Saddleworth SA, 27 September 1918
Enlisted in the RAAF: 6 January 1941
Unit: No. 48 Squadron (RAF), RAF Wick, Highland, Scotland
Died: Air Operations (No. 48 Squadron Hudson aircraft FH427), North Sea, 10 August 1942, Aged 23 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of William Frederick and Amy Margaret Bannear, of Saddleworth, South Australia.
Roll of Honour: Saddleworth SA
Remembered: Panel 112, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey UK
Remembered: Panel 118, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
Hudson FH427 of No. 48 Squadron took off at 1401 hours on 10 August 1942 from Lossiemouth, Scotland, to carry out a ‘North Bert’ patrol which was extended northwards. The ETA of FH 427 back at Base was 2000 hours. No message was received from the aircraft after take off and it did not return to base. Pilot Officer Watts, body was recovered near Vigra Island on 18 August 1942 and was buried in Stavne Cemetery, Trondheim, Norway. The remaining missing crew members
were recorded as having no known grave.
The crew members of FH427 were:
Sergeant George Robert Ash (R/74689) (RCAF) (Navigator)
Sergeant Ronald Kenneth Bannear (407817) (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Sergeant John Edward Ramsey (407648) (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Pilot Officer Gordon Roy Watts (400838) (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 Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/90/364