Flying Officer Walter Richard Tanner
Royal Australian Air Force - WWII
Service Number: 424230
No. 622 Squadron. Royal Australian Air Force
Born: 27 August 1916 in Waverley, NSW, Australia
Date of death: 13 June 1944, age 27
Status: KIA – Oirschot – The Netherlands
Awards:
- Air Observer Badge
Buried in Eindhoven (Woensel) General Cemetery, The Netherlands KK coll. grave 72
“His duty fearlessly and nobly done. Ever remembered”
Collective grave with F/O William Rattle
BIOGRAPHY
Walter Richard Tanner was the son of Walter and Eleanor Tanner of Maroubra, New South Wales, Australia.
The husband of Lillian Ruby Tanner and father of David Walter and Wendy Gail.
Walter was born in Waverley, NSW, Australia and was a clerk-accountant before the war. He worked for the Australian Gas Light Company in Sydney.
School
Intermediate and Final Accountancy, Law exams.
He enlisted on August 15, 1942 age 25 and married.
His medical was on February 4, 1942 in N°2 Recruiting Centre, Sydney.
Height: 5 ft 8 inch
Weight: 156 lbs
Complexion: Fair
Eyes: Hazel
Hair: Brown
Embarked Sydney for UK May 25, 1943
Disembarked UK July 7, 1943
Walter was promoted to Flying Officer on October 29, 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 William Frederick Henry Rattle N° 423256
joint grave with Walter Tanner
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
