LEST WE FORGET
Squadron Leader George Richard TAYLOR DFC
From Australia serving in the Royal Air Force
Service No: 36134 (RAF)
Born: Hawthorn VIC, 15 April 1918
Enlisted in the RAAF: Date unavailable
Enlisted in the RAF: 1938
Unit: No. 207 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Waddington, Lincolnshire
Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), 13 September 1940
Died: Air Operations: (No. 207 Squadron Manchester aircraft L7377), Germany, 13 August 1941, Aged 23 Years
Buried: Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany
CWGC Additional Information: No further information
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Supplementary Panel 12, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Squadron Leader Taylor was an Australian Cadet trained for the RAF who embarked for the UK on 4 January 1938.
DFC Citation: Flying Officer George Richard Taylor (36134). This officer has completed 32 successful operational flights as aircraft captain and has on several occasions succeeded in finding his target regardless of adverse weather conditions and severe enemy opposition. His devotion to duty and his determination in pressing home his attacks are most praiseworthy. He has always shown a high degree of courage, is a thoroughly determined and reliable young officer, and he sets an excellent example to the squadron. London Gazette 13 September 1940.
Manchester L7377 of No. 207 Squadron took off from RAF Station Waddington, on the night of 12/13 August 1941 to bomb Berlin. The aircraft was hit by antiaircraft fire and crashed at 0200 hours on 13 August 1941 at Grossbeeren, 5 kms south east of Tetlow, Germany.
The crew members of L7377 were:
Flight Sergeant Thomas Beattie DFM (561696) (RAF) (Observer)
Flight Sergeant George Robert Birt DFM (624302) (RAF) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Donald Hugh McPhail (543628) (RAF) (Air Gunner) Fatally injured: Died 14 August 1941
Pilot Officer John Jephson Nottidge (78549) (RAFVR) (Second Pilot)
Squadron Leader George Richard Taylor DFC (36134) (RAF) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant W Wetherill (RAF) PoW
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
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/58/42
Newton, Dennis A Few of the Few: Australians and the Battle of Britain, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT 2600, 1990