LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant George Frederick INKSTER MID
Service No: 402292
Born: Leichardt NSW, 3 October 1915
Enlisted in the RAAF: 22 July 1940
Unit: No. 76 Squadron
Awarded the Mentioned in Despatches (MID)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 76 Squadron Kittyhawk aircraft A29-36), Milne Bay PNG, 11 August 1942, Aged 26 Years
Buried: Port Moresby (Bomana) War Cemetery PNG
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Arthur and Lily May Inkster, of Manly, New South Wales
Roll of Honour: Eastwood NSW
Remembered: Panel 104, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Eastwood War Memorial, Eastwood NSW
At about 1225 hours on 11 August 1942, the standby patrol at Fall River airstrip was ordered off on a security patrol over the base. Flight Sergeant Inkster in Kittyhawk A29-36 was flying as No. 2 in Sergeant Gray’s section. The patrol intercepted 8 to 12 enemy Zeros flying at 1500 feet. A29-36 was seen to go into combat at approximately 1240 hours. At about 1313 hours, Flight Sergeant Inkster appeared to attempt a forced landing on the airstrip, but when at 200 his aircraft burst into flames and he immediately baled out. The parachute opened after a delayed drop of about 100 feet which did not allow sufficient height for it to billow and Flight Sergeant Inkster was killed. Also lost in this general action were Flying Officer Albert Gordon McLeod (411807) in Kittyhawk A29-93 and Warrant Officer Francis Pentland Shelley (402408) in Kittyhawk A29-100.
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 Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/125/63
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line