Francis Joseph GARDINER

Francis Joseph GARDINER Update Details

If you confirm that you want to proceed with the update, this record will be locked for editing by all other users until you have finished. You will have 7 days to complete your changes before they will be automatically submitted.

Do you want to proceed?

GARDINER, Francis Joseph

Service Number:	407575
Enlisted:	11 November 1940, Adelaide, SA
Last Rank:	Flight Lieutenant
Last Unit:	No. 31 Squadron (RAAF)
Born:	Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia, 5 March 1920
Home Town:	Broken Hill, Broken Hill Municipality, New South Wales
Schooling:	Not yet discovered
Occupation:	Labourer
Died:	Flying Battle, New Guinea, 21 August 1943, aged 23 years
Cemetery:	No known grave - "Known Unto God" Ambon Memorial, Ambon, Kota Ambon, Maluku, Indonesia. Column 7.
Memorials:	Adelaide WW2 Wall of Remembrance, Ambon Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour

World War 2 Service

11 Nov 1940:	Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Lieutenant, 407575, No. 31 Squadron (RAAF)
11 Nov 1940:	Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Lieutenant, 407575, No. 31 Squadron (RAAF), Adelaide, SA

Help us honour Francis Joseph Gardiner's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Mari Walker

Son of George and Eve Lily Jane Gardiner, of South Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia.

Francis Joseph Gardiner enlisted in November 1940, and joined No. 31 Squadron flying Beaufighters in June 1943.
On 21 August 1943, seven aircraft were detailed to carry out an attack on a float plane base at Taberfane, Aroe Islands. The aircraft took off in formation and when they arrived at their target, a bi-plane type float plane had just become airborne from its base and was observed by the pilots of A19-47 and A19-63. Both planes converged on the float plane which resulted in a collision between the aircraft with both planes catching fire and crashing into the sea, about 4000 feet off Taberfane Village. Both aircraft sank and no survivors were seen by the remaining aircraft. F/Lt Gardiner was in Beaufighter A19-47 along with F/O LJ Lyne.

Biography contributed by Carol Foster

At the time of enlistment he was residing at 399 Argent Street, Broken Hill

Son of George and Eve Lily Jane Gardiner of South Broken Hill, NSW

He had been employed as a Grocer, assistant Boilermaker, Rigger and worked in the mines.

The plane he was in was a Bristol Beaufighter A19-47 attached to 31 Squadron and was lost near Tabertane, Aroe Island Group

Virtual
War Memorial
Australia