| Squadron
Leader Richard
Fitzgerald was piloting Lancaster Mk. III
ND-597 coded TL-A
during an operation to Berlin March 24/25, 1944.
The aircraft took off from Graveley at 1844hrs and was returning
to base when it was shot down by a night-fighter, killing five of
the seven crewmembers including S/L Fitzgerald. The
crew consisted of:
|
Name |
Service |
Trade |
Hometown |
Age |
|
F/O Cecil Dineen |
RAFVR |
Flight Engineer |
Bexleyheath,Kent |
20 |
|
F/O John Savage |
RAAF |
Navigator |
Queensland, Australia |
27 |
|
F/Lt William “Scott” Muego - POW |
RAFVR |
Bomb Aimer |
Glasgow, Scotland |
29 |
|
W/O Robert Brewington |
RAAF |
Wop/AG |
Queensland, Australia |
27 |
|
F/Sgt Stanley Boulton - POW |
RAFVR |
Mid Upper Gunner |
- |
- |
|
F/Sgt Frederick Smith |
RAFVR |
Rear Gunner |
Cobridge,Stoke-on-Trent |
30 |
Squadron
Leader RichardThomas Fitzgerald RAAF DFC aged 22 and the son of
Patrick and Mary Fitzgerald of Namban,
Western Australia. Richard was born on the 11th June 1921
at Moora,
Western Australia and enlisted on the fifteenth of May 1940 at
Perth, Western Australia.
He
received his DFC while with 77 Squadron
(gazetted on 16th November 1943).
The
citation reads:
“This officer has completed very many sorties during which he has
bombed such targets as Berlin,Cologne,Mannheim and Hanover. He has
displayed great skill and enterprise, setting an example which has
won the confidence of his crew. On one occasion, when attacking
Cologne, his aircraft was badly damaged by anti-aircraft fire.
Coolly and skilfully, Flight Lieutenant Fitzgerald flew clear of the
defences, went on to execute his attack and afterwards flew safely
back to base. His superb effort was worthy of high praise.”
He is buried with his crew in the 1939-45
Berlin War cemetery
and
is commemorated on the roll of honour for Moora,
Western Australia. |
