LEST WE FORGET
Leading Aircraftman Geoffrey Samuel VENN
Service No: 422769
Born: Ashfield NSW, 8 May 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 23 May 1942
Unit: No. 1 Service Flying Training School, RAAF Station Point Cook VIC
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 1 Service Flying Training School Oxford aircraft BM712), near Werribee VIC, 23 January 1943, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Springvale War Cemetery, Melbourne VIC
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Aubrey Vivian and Mary Annie Venn, of Hunters Hill, New South Wales
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 117, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Municipality of Hunters Hill War Memorial Honour Rolls, Hunters Hill NSW
Remembered: St John’s Anglican Church 1939-1945 Roll of Honour, Woolwich NSW
During a non-operational formation flight on 23 January 1943, Oxford BM712 crashed at 1420 hours west of the You Yangs near Werribee, Victoria, and the crew of three was killed. In turning left BM712 collided with the tail fin of Oxford X7115 and went into a spin. The accident was believed to be an error of judgement by Leading Aircraftman Venn who was flying BM712 at the time. X7115 was recovered to the Little River Satellite Airfield.
The crew members of BM712 were:
Flying Officer Clarence James Harold Loft (3402) (Instructor Pilot)
Leading Aircraftman Geoffrey Samuel Venn (422769) (Trainee Dual Pilot)
Leading Aircraftman John Stanley Walker (418494) (Trainee Dual Pilot)
The pilot of X7115 was:
Flight Lieutenant William Geoffrey Campbell (261730) (Instructor Pilot) Uninjured, Killed in an Aircraft Accident: 26 November 1943
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, 166/42/5; A9845, 177
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line