LEST WE FORGET
Flight Lieutenant Richard Gerard GODFREY
Service No: 415247
Born: Subiaco WA, 13 January 1923
Enlisted in the RAAF: 17 August 1941
Unit: No. 622 Squadron (RAF), RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk
Died: Air Operations: (No. 622 Squadron Lancaster aircraft ND765), France, 8 June 1944, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Viroflay New Communal Cemetery, France
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Cecil Horace and Elsie Muriel Godfrey, of Queens Park, Western Australia.
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 122, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Cenotaph Undercroft, State War Memorial, Kings Park WA
Remembered: Boans Employees’ World War II Honour Roll (Honour Board held at the RAAFA Museum Bull Creek WA)
On the night of 7/8th June 1944, Lancaster ND765 took off from RAF Mildenhall, detailed to bomb rail facilities at Massy-Palaiseau, France. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base. The aircraft crashed at Montigny-le-Bretonneux, (Yvelines), some 3 kms east of Trappes and all the crew were killed.
The crew members of ND765 were:
Flying Officer Cecil David Chirighin (138076) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Flight Sergeant George Edward John Gardner (416038) (RNZAF) (Rear Gunner)
Flight Lieutenant Richard Gerard Godfrey (415247) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Walter Ross (2209009) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Sergeant Arthur William Ryder (1616427) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Pilot Officer Francis Sylvester Sewell (421993) (RNZAF) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Pilot Officer Albert Henry Stewart (173882) (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, 166/16/351