LEST WE FORGET
Leading Aircraftman Gerald Francis RYAN
Service No: 421468
Born: Ouyen VIC, 19 February 1916
Enlisted in the RAAF: 1 February 1942 (at Sydney NSW)
Unit: No. 8 Elementary Flying Training School, Narrandera NSW
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 8 Elementary Flying Training School Tiger Moth aircraft A17-125), Grong Grong NSW, 8 September 1942, Aged 26 Years
Buried: Castle Hill Cemetery, NSW
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Arthur Joseph and Margaret Mary Ryan, of Baulkham Hills
Roll of Honour: Parramatta NSW
Remembered: Panel 116, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Narrandera Tiger Moth Memorial, Narrandera NSW
On 8 September 1942, Tiger Moth A17-125 took odd from Grong Grong Satellite aerodrome shortly after 1555 hours, together with two other aircraft, to return to the main aerodrome at Narrandera. After crossing the upwind boundary of the satellite aerodrome, A17-125 turned left away from the other aircraft and was lost to view by them. At 1600 hours A17-125 dived towards motor transport CS505 which was then leaving the satellite aerodrome, and after levelling off, the aircraft struck the tender practically head on. The engine cowling struck the cabin top of the tender and glanced upwards, and the airframe structure lifted the tender canopy and deposited it about 20 yards behind the tender. The aircraft apparently struck the ground in an inverted position, and came to rest on its starboard side, the starboard main plane having been broken off. Leading Aircraftman Ryan a Trainee Pilot, was a passenger in the tender and was killed instantly and the two crew members in the aircraft were seriously injured. Eight other members in the tender were seriously injured, and 14 others were uninjured. The aircraft was being piloted by Leading Aircraftman Pickworth at the time of the accident.
The crew members of A17-125 were:
Sergeant Kenneth Munro Gregor (405406) (Instructor Pilot) Seriously Injured, Discharged from the RAAF: 31 March 1943
Leading Aircraftman Colin Reginald Pickworth (421122) (Student Pilot) Seriously Injured, Killed on Air Operations: 2 January 1944
The members on the tender were:
Aircraftman Class II Robert Arthur Buckland (424082) Seriously injured, Discharged from the RAAF: 25 February 1946
Aircraftman Class I Arthur Reginald Edmunds (51529) Seriously injured, Discharged from the RAAF: 22 May 1947
Leading Aircraftman Gerald Francis Ryan (421468)
Leading Aircraftman Allan Morris Lodder (426118) Seriously injured, Discharged from the RAAF: 18 April 1946
Leading Aircraftman Ian Eric John MacKinnon (425528) Seriously injured, Discharged from the RAAF: 13 November 1945
Leading Aircraftman David Roland Murray (421747) Seriously injured. Discharged from the RAAF: 19 March 1947
Leading Aircraftman Brian Thomas O’Neill (426259) Seriously injured, Discharged from the RAAF: 14 September 1945
Leading Aircraftman Clarrie Phillips (425743) Seriously injured, Discharged from the RAAF: 17 January 1946
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, 163/159/95
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line