Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Text supplied by Chas Schaedel and the South Australian Aviation Museum History Group

Richard Turner worked at the Union Bank before enlisting in Sydney, NSW, in the 17th Infantry Battalion on 17 August 1914. He embarked as a Private aboard HMAT A23 Suffolk on 18 October 1914, disembarking in Egypt on 8 December. He sailed from Alexandria in HMT Derfflinger on 5 April 1915 to take part in the landings at Gallipoli on 25 April, and the next day he was wounded in the right leg and was evacuated to No. 17 Australian General Hospital in Alexandria.

Discharged to duty from Convalescent Camp Mustapha, Turner rejoined his unit at Gallipoli on 18 May 1915 and after the evacuation returned to Alexandria. He sailed to France from Alexandria on 22 March 1916 where he was transferred to 1st Australian Army Ordnance Corps and promoted to Corporal. 

Turner was attached to 1st Australian Divisional HQ on 6 September 1916 and after volunteering to join the Royal Flying Corps was posted to England to begin training at RFC Cadet Battalion Denham on 16 November. This was followed by a course at No.3 SMA Brasenose College, Oxford,  from 26 January 1917 on completion of which he was discharged from the AIF on 16 March 1917.  He was commissoned as a Second Lieutenant RFC, on probation, the next day.

Turner received flying instruction at No.47 Reserve Squadron RFC Waddington and at No.37 Reserve Squadron RFC Scampton, and it was at this latter station that he was accidentally killed on 4 May 1917, at the age of 23,  when he crashed in RE8 A3497. The Court of Inquiry found that the accident was due to lack of judgement by the pilot which caused the machine to go into a spinning nose dive an a turn.

The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland 

Died on this date – 4th May…… Richard George Turner was born 30th January, 1894 at Jamestown, South Australia.

He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force at Randwick, Sydney, NSW on 17th August, 1914 as a 20 year old, single, Bank Clerk (Union Bank) from care of S. M. Turner, Ayr Street, Jamestown, South Australia.
Private Richard George Turner, Service number 106, embarked from Sydney, NSW on HMAT Suffolk (A23) on 18th October, 1914 with the 2nd Infantry Battalion “A” Company.

He was transferred to Mustapha Base on 7th May, 1915.

Private Turner was wounded in action at the Dardanelles (no date recorded, however a letter in the service record file written by his sister states he was wounded on 26th April, 1915) with G.S.W. (gunshot wound/s) to right leg. He was transferred to Hospital Ship Ionian then admitted to 17th General Hospital at Alexandria on 1st May, 1915 with gunshot wounds to right thigh - severe. Private Turner was transferred to Convalescent Depot at Mustapha on 7th May, 1915 then transferred to Ship Franconia from Alexandria on 14th May, 1915 & rejoined his Unit on 18th May, 1915.

On 18th July, 1915 Private Turner was transferred to Stretcher Bearers.

He disembarked at Alexandria on 28th December, 1915 from Troopship Hunstgreen after evacuation of Gallipoli.

Private Turner was attached to Ordnance at Serapeum on 4th March, 1916 then attached to D.A.D.O.S. (Deputy Assistant Director Ordnance Services), 1st Australian Division on 5th March, 1916 at Serapeum for clerical duties. He rejoined 2nd Battalion at Serapeum on 21st March, 1916.

He embarked for overseas from Alexandria on 22nd March, 1916 & disembarked at Marseilles, France on 28th March, 1916.

On 18th April, 1916 Private Turner was transferred to D.A.D.O.S. (Deputy Assistant Director Ordnance Services), Ordnance Corps, 1st Australian Divisional Headquarters & was promoted to Corporal.

Corporal Turner ceased to be attached to Headquarters 2nd Infantry Brigade on 6th September, 1916 & was attached to 1st Australian Divisional Headquarters.

He was on command at Royal Flying Corps, England from 8th November, 1916 & was attached to R.F.C. Cadet Battalion, Denham from 16th November, 1916 then transferred to School of Aeronautics, Brasenose College at Oxford from 26th January, 1917.
Corporal Richard George Turner was discharged from the Australian Imperial Force in England on 16th March, 1917 having been granted a Commission in Imperial Army as Second Lieutenant. He had served abroad for 2 years & 212 days.

Second Lieutenant Richard George Turner joined Royal Flying Corps – Special Reserve. He was attached to No. 47 Reserve Squadron, R.F.C. at Waddington, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England from 20th March, 1917 then attached to No. 37 Training Squadron, R.F.C., Scampton, near Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England from 18th April, 1917 on being appointed Flying Officer.
On 4th May, 1917 Second Lieutenant Turner was flying a Royal Aircraft Factory RE8 Serial number A3497 from R.F.C. Scampton, near Lincoln when his plane crashed.

Second Lieutenant Richard George Turner died on 4th May, 1917 at Scampton, near Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England as a result of an aeroplane accident.

Court of Inquiry stated the cause of the accident was lack of judgement on the part of the pilot in causing the machine to get into a spinning nose dive on a turn.

He was buried in St. Mary’s Churchyard, Bentley, Hampshire, England (north of church) and has a Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone.

** Second Lieutenant Richard George Turner’s younger brother enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 26th August, 1915 as an 18 year old Bank Clerk from Jamestown, South Australia. He embarked from Adelaide on 9th March, 1916 with 10th Infantry Battalion, 15th Reinforcements. Transferred to 13th Machine Gun Company. Killed in action on 2nd April, 1917.

Buried Cagnicourt British Cemetery, France.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/bentley.html