Flying Officer William Frederick Harvey Rattle

Royal Australian Air Force - WWII

 


Service Number: 423256

Royal Australian Air Force,

Born: 27 October 1914 in Waverley, NSW, Australia

Date of death: 13 June 1944, age 29

Status: KIA

 

Awards:

- 1939-45 Star

- France and Germany Star

- Defence Medal

- War Medal 1939-45

- Australia Service Medal 1939-45

 

Buried in Flushing (Vlissingen) Northern Cemetery, Row G. Grave 9.

 “Until the dawn breaks and the shadows flee away”


Awards: 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-45, Australia Service Medal 1939-45


Collective grave with F/O Walter Tanner

 

BIOGRAPHY

William Tanner was the son of William Frederick and Emily Alice Rattle of Bondi Junction, New South Wales, Australia. The husband of Jean Rattle.

William worked as a Rotogravure Operative with Associated Newspapers Ltd in Sydney before the war.

 

He enlisted on June 20, 1942 age 27 and married.

His medical was on June 20, 1942 in N°2 Recruiting Centre, Sydney.

Height: 5 ft 6 inch

Weight: 148 lbs

Complexion: Medium

Eyes: Brown

Hair: Brown

 

Entrained Sydney for Brisbane May 4, 1943

Embarked Brisbane May 5, 1943

Embarked USAT “William Holbrook” May 5, 1943

Disembarked San Francisco May 23, 1943

Disembarked UK via USA July 7, 1943

 

Lancaster I LL812 took off from RAF Mildenhall at 2300 on 12 June 1944 for a mission to an oil plant in Gelsenkirchen near Essen, Germany.

Attacked and shot down by a night-fighter and exploded to the West of Oirschot (Noord Brabant) some 13 km NW from the centre of Eindhoven, all of the crew died and are buried in the Woensel General Cemetery.


Flt/Sgt Richard Paul Percival Holden - Service Number - 429323 

Born May 8, 1924 in Sydney, NSW, Australia - Place of enlistment - Brisbane

Plot KK. Coll. grave 72.


Flt/Sgt Richard John William Moore - Service Number - 423433 

Born August 2, 1919 in Travandrum South India - Place of enlistment - Brisbane

Sgt Moore RAAF held a Diploma in Agriculture which he gained in Hawkesbury.

Plot KK. Coll. grave 72.


Sgt. Francis Michael Leaney N° 623992,

an Australian in the RAF 

Plot KK. Coll. grave 72.

Sergeant Martin Dea N° 1798041,

from Ballacola in County Liex of the Irish Republic

Plot KK. Grave 72.

Sergeant Reginald Bramley N° 2220988,

from Wollaton, Nottinghamshire.

Plot KK. Grave 71.


Flight Officer Walter Richard Tanner N° 424230

joint grave with William Frederick Rattle

Plot KK. Coll. grave 72.

 


Crew of Lancaster MkI LL812 GI-Z

 

Sgt Reginald BRAMLEY 2220988 Air Gunner RAF                                   

Sgt Martin DEA 1798041 Air Gunner RAF                                     

Sgt Francis Michael LEANEY 623992 Flight Engineer RAF          

Flt/Sgt Richard Paul Percival HOLDEN 429323 RAAF                 

Flt/Sgt Richard John William MOORE 423433 RAAF                   

Fl/O William Frederick Henry RATTLE 423256 RAAF                  

Fl/O Walter Richard TANNER 424230 RAAF


MILITARY RECORDS

 

NAA_ItemNumber5245264 Rattle
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