ANTHONY JOHN BRYAN GILDARE

Born: 5th September 1924, West Ham, Essex.

Died: 20th January 1944; age: 19; aircraft lost at Erkner on a mission to Berlin.

Based: Melbourne, Yorkshire.

Rank: Sergeant/Air Gunner; Service Number: 1867645.

Regiment: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 10 Squadron.

Originally buried at Erkner. Body later exhumed, identified and reburied 19^th September 1947 at Berlin 1939 – 1945 War Cemetery.

Grave Reference:

Berlin 1939 – 1945 War Cemetery,

Charlottenburg,

Berlin,

Germany.

Relatives Notified & Address: Son of  John & Myfanwy Gildare, of Scarborough, Western Australia.

Father: John Gildare, born March 1895.

Mother: Myfanwy Gildare (nee Thomas), born August 1896, Neath, Glamorgan, Wales.

ENGLAND & WALES REGISTER 1939

Anthony was 15 years old, a Butcher’s Assistant. He was living with his parents and a house guest at their family home – 66, Lorne Road, West Ham.

John, a Motor Driver.

Myfanwy, unpaid Domestic Duties.

Charles Henry Fairman, a Tramways Assistant – Sub-Station Inspector and a Royal Navy Pensioner – Leading Seaman, born March 1873, West Kensington, London.

Photograph of Charles Fairman courtsey of Alison.

Immigration

On the 30th May 1952, Anthony’s parents, John, 57, a driver and Myfanywy, 56 and his 17 year old sister, Jean P. Gildare, of 82, Woodbridge Road, Ipswich, immigrated to Fremantle, Australia. They departed from the Port of Liverpool and sailed on the ‘Dorsetshire’ of the Orient Line. They were to join Anthony’s 22 year old, brother, William Patrick Gildare, a Police Cadet, who had immigrated in May 1951. In August 1953, Anthony’s 22 year old, brother Richard Owen Gildare, of The Hermitage, Undercliff Road, East, Felixstowe sailed to Australia to join his family.

20th/21st January 1944 – the height of the ‘Battle of Berlin.’

Aircraft: Halifax II, serial number: JD740, code: ZA-S, based: R.A.F. Station Melbourne, Yorkshire. The Halifax took off at 16:16hrs with 34 other Bomber Command aircraft on a mission to Berlin, Germany. The raid was largely unsuccessful due to cloud in the target area.

It is not known the exact circumstances of JD740’s loss. It is believed to have crashed near Berlin, and may have been sho down by a German night fighter. Five crew members were killed, two survived to become PoW’s.

Anthony, Ronald Branchflower and Douglas Bolton were laid to rest at Berlin War Cemetery. The bodies of Leslie Dryer and Douglas Arthur were never recovered. Their names are remembered on the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.

Crew:

Douglas Alexander Arthur; Flight Sergeant/Pilot; age 21; R.A.F.V.R.

Ronald William Branchflower; Sergeant/Flight Engineer; age 22; R.A.F.V.R.

Leslie Dryer; Sergeant/Air Gunner; age 32; R.A.F.V.R.

Douglas Charles Bolton; Sergeant/Air Gunner; age 19; R.A.F.V.R.

D.A. Jackson; Sergeant – PoW

D.H. Larman; Sergeant – PoW

Aircraft information courtesy of John Allan.