LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant George Alfred Badge TAVERNER
Service No: 429835
Born: Yankalilla SA, 14 July 1923
Enlisted in the RAAF: 12 September 1942
Unit: No. 75 Squadron (RAF), RAF Mepal, Cambridgeshire
Died: Air Operations (No. 75 Squadron Lancaster aircraft HK568), France, 24 July 1944, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Cronenbourg French National Cemetery, Bas-Rhin, France
CWGC Additional Information: Son of George Alfred and Winifred Bessie Taverner, of Torrens Vale, South Australia
Roll of Honour: Yankalilla SA
Remembered: Panel 131, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
On the night of 24/25th July 1944, Lancaster HK568 took off from RAF Nepal at 2151 hours, detailed to bomb Stuttgart, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base. Later it was learned that all the crew had been killed.
The crew members of HK568 were:
Sergeant Robert Charles Baker (1624103) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Warrant Officer Keat Dudding (415522) (RNZAF) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Ray Steele Horsford (1387835) (RAF) (Air Bomber)
Sergeant Bernard Leighton (2209941) (RAFVR) (Flight Sergeant)
Pilot Officer Jack Thomas Milliner (426367) (Navigator)
Flight Sergeant George Alfred Badge Taverner (429835) (Rear Gunner)
Flying Officer Keith Owen Whitehouse (428800) (RNZAF) (Pilot)
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, 166/39/323