Frederick Michael Spafford
Flying Officer · 407380 · Australian
- Died
- 16 September 1943, aged 25
- Fate
- Killed in action
Biography
Not known
Burial / commemoration
- Cemetery
- Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany
Operations on this date. 2 raids in this archive were flown on the night of 16 September 1943: Operation Garlic · Modane. (Cross-reference by date — not in itself confirmation this airman flew it.)
Timeline
-
16 October 1942
Gazetted: AFC
Air Force Cross -
16 May 1943
Flew Operation Chastise
Bomb aimer, ED932 AJ-G — Returned -
25 May 1943
Gazetted: DFM
Distinguished Flying Medal -
15 September 1943
Flew Operation Garlic
Bomb aimer, EE144 AJ-S — Failed to return -
16 September 1943
Died
aged 25
Crew & operations
Flew as Bomb aimer with No. 617 Squadron (Dambusters).
- Operation Chastise (16 May 1943) — aircraft ED932 AJ-G (Avro Lancaster) — Returned
Crew: J Pulford (Flight engineer) · George Andrew Deering (Front gunner) · Torger Harlo Taerum (Navigator) · Guy Penrose Gibson (Pilot) · R D Trevor-roper (Rear gunner) · Robert Edward George Hutchison (Wireless operator)
Flew as Bomb aimer with No. 617 Squadron (Dambusters).
- Operation Garlic (15 September 1943) — aircraft EE144 AJ-S (Avro Lancaster) — Failed to return
Crew: Dennis John Dean Powell (Flight engineer) · George Andrew Deering (Front gunner) · Thomas Alfred Meikle (Mid-upper gunner) · Torger Harlo Taerum (Navigator) · George Walton Holden (Pilot) · Henry James Pringle (Rear gunner) · Robert Edward George Hutchison (Wireless operator)
Awards
-
Air Force Cross (AFC) — gazetted 16 October 1942
-
Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM) — gazetted 25 May 1943
Source: CWGC casualty record: SPAFFORD, FREDERICK MICHAEL → · Commonwealth War Graves Commission