LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Eric Clark CLUNAS
Service No: 415764
Born: Narrogin WA, 18 January 1918
Enlisted in the RAAF: 1 February 1942
Unit: No. 207 Squadron (RAF), RAF Spilsby, Lincolnshire
Died: Air Operations: (No. 207 Squadron Lancaster aircraft R5895), Germany, 21 January 1944, Aged 26 Years
Buried: Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany
CWGC Additional Information: Son of John and Ivy Louisa Clunas, of Mount Hawthorn, Western Australia.
Roll of Honour: Perth WA
Remembered: Panel 120, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Cenotaph Undercroft, State War Memorial, Kings Park WA
Lancaster R5895 took off from RAF Spilsby at 2011 hours on the night of 21/22nd January 1944, detailed to bomb Magdeburg, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base. Subsequently it was learned that all the crew members had been killed.
The crew members of R5895 were:
Sergeant Leslie Francis Abel (1615651) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Sergeant Ronald Arthur Blake Boydon (1435862) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator Air)
Flight Sergeant Eric Clark Clunas (415764) (Rear Gunner)
Sergeant Ronald Codling (1818737) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Pilot Officer Jack Montague Read (161606) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Flying Officer Robert Walter Sharp (144580) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Flying Officer Charles Travers (J/23604) (RCAF) (Air Bomber)
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, 166/7/400