LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Richard James HUNTER
Service No: 415661
Born: Merredin WA, 7 December 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 7 December 1941
Unit: No. 461 Squadron, Pembroke Dock
Died: Air Operations: (No. 461 Squadron Sunderland aircraft JM707), Bay of Biscay, 30 August 1943, Aged 20 years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Alexander Henry Laird Hunter, and of Agnes Mary Hunter, of Inglewood, Western Australia.
Roll of Honour: Perth WA
Remembered: Panel 193, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey UK
Remembered: Panel 108, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Cenotaph Undercroft, State War Memorial, Kings Park WA
Remembered: Rathmines Memorial Bowling Club, Rathmines NSW
Aircraft captained by Flight Lieutenant Skinner of No. 10 and Flying Officer Croft of No. 461 were lost in similar circumstances (attacks by German fighter aircraft in the Bay of Biscay) on 18th and 30th August respectively.
Extract from Herington, J. (John) (406545) Air War Against Germany and Italy 1939-1943, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1954 – Page 618
The crew members of JM707 were:
Flying Officer Gregory James Bushell (412385) (Observer)
Flying Officer Cedric Robert Croft (403648) (Pilot)
Sergeant Harold James Ferrett (921970) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Warrant Officer John Gamble MID (405105) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Ronald George Harris (409113) (Second Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Richard James Hunter (415661) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Geoffrey Francis Ritchie (412700) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Horace Smedley (942515) (RAFVR) (Wireless Mechanic / Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Walter Stewart (1379989) (RAFVR) (Flight Mechanic Engines / Air Gunner)
Pilot Officer Jack Alwyn Tamsett (412751) (First Pilot)
Flight Sergeant William Yeomans (415749) (Wireless Air Gunner)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A9186, 148 (No. 461 Squadron Operations Record Book)
Bibliography:
Ashworth, N. (Norman) The ANZAC Squadron: A history of No. 461 Squadron RAAF 1942-5, Hesperian Press Victoria Park WA 6100, 1994
Baff, K.C (Kevin), Maritime is Number Ten, K.C. Baff Netley SA, 1983
Joubert, P.B. (Sir Phillip Bennet) Birds and Fishes: the story of Coastal Command, Hutchinson and Company London, 1960
Southall, I.F. (Ivan Francis) (418900) They Shall Not Pass Unseen, Angus and Robertson Sydney NSW, 1956
Wilson, S. (Stewart) Anson, Hudson and Sunderland in Australian Service, Aerospace Publications Weston Creek ACT 2611, 1992