AR banner
Search Tips Advanced Search
Back to Top

• Kracker Archive
• Allied Losses
• Archiwum Polish
• Paradie Canadian
• RCAF
• RAAF
• RNZAF
• USA
• Paul McGuiness RAAF Archive
• Searchable Lists

Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
Check our Research databases: Database List
.
We seek additional information and photographs. Please contact us via the Helpdesk.
452 crest

Operation: Circus 81

Date: 19 August 1941 (Tuesday)

Unit: No. 452 Squadron (motto: Miundus Pro Nobis - 'weeping the world before us') 11 Group

Type: Spitfire Vb

Serial: AB785

Code: UD-?

Base: RAF Kenley, Surrey

Location: French coast off Calais

Pilot: Sgt. Richard George Gazzard Aus/402115 RAAF Age 21. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 10:05 hrs with the target of the power station at Gosnay..

The squadron suffered one other loss when intercede by JG2 fighters. The others:

Spitfire Vb P8717 Flown by F/O. William Davies Eccleton Aus402232 RAAF shot down and killed.

Spitfire Vb AB794 Flown by P/O. Don Willis who, although wounded, managed to return to Kenley and make a forced landing. The aircraft suffered cat. 2 damage, repaired and returned to Service.

Sgt. Gazzard's body washed ashore on the 09th September 1941 at Nieupoert.

Burial details:

Sgt. Richard George Gazzard. Oostduinkerke Communal Cemetery, Belgium. Row G, Grave 167. Born on the 17th August 1920 at Croydon, New South Wales. A commercial traveller prior to enlisting at Sydney on the 27th May 1940. Son of Norman Clarence and Veida Gazzard, of 19 Cotswold Road, Strathfield, New South Wales, Australia. Grave inscription: 'Your wish fulfilled “Dick” sadly missed but proudly remembered'.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to Jenifer Lemaire and to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland Library Heritage Collection, AWMM, Weekly News of New Zealand, other sources as quoted below:

KTY 05-02-2021

Pages of Outstanding Interest
History Airborne Forces •  Soviet Night Witches •  Bomber Command Memories •  Abbreviations •  Gardening Codenames
CWGC: Your Relative's Grave Explained •  USA Flygirls •  Axis Awards Descriptions •  'Lack Of Moral Fibre'
Concept of Colonial Discrimination  •  Unauthorised First Long Range Mustang Attack
RAAF Bomb Aimer Evades with Maquis •  SOE Heroine Nancy Wake •  Fane: Motor Racing PRU Legend
Acknowledgements
We are an Amazon Associate and receive a small commission on any sales made through our Amazon link
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and Captain François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Andrew Mielnik: Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Polish graves: https://niebieskaeskadra.pl/, PoW Museum Żagań, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
Click any image to enlarge it

 Click to add your info via ticket on Helpdesk •Click to let us know via ticket on Helpdesk• Click to explore the entire site
If you would like to comment on this page, please do so via our Helpdesk. Use the Submit a Ticket option to send your comments. After review, our Editors will publish your comment below with your first name, but not your email address.

A word from the Editor: your contribution is important. We welcome your comments and information. Thanks in advance.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
All site material (except as noted elsewhere) is owned or managed by Aircrew Remembered and should not be used without prior permission.
© Aircrew Remembered 2012 - 2026 Last Modified: 05 February 2021, 15:36

Monitor Additions/Changes?Click to be informed of changes to this page. Create account for first monitor only, thereafter very fast. Click to close without creating monitor