Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Reginald CARMICHAEL (1918-1943)

Reginald Carmichael was born in Bourke NSW, on 19 April 1918, to parents ,Mother Mary Elizabeth Carmichael, and Father William James Archibald Claude Spenser Carmichael of Bourke, New South Wales.

Reginals grew up in Bourke and after leaving school found employment as a Works Clerk with the local Council,.  He met and married Mavis Gloria Carmichael, and by the time of his enlistment in 1941, they were living at "Clivedon", 2 Rosslyn Street, Kings Cross, NSW

Following the outbreak of war he enlisted into the RAAF, in Sydney, NSW on 19 July 1941.

He undertook training under the Empire Air Training Scheme

Details (Work in progress)

Flight Lieutenant of RAAF 467 Squadron

4/9/1943 - killed in flying operations over Berlin, Germany

His Commanding Officer,  of No 467 Squadron stated:

"The news has come as a great shock to both myself and the rest of the Squadron.
 Reginald was a capable and very popular officer.  His enthusiasm and efficiency were
 a great asset to us, and his loss along with the crew, will be felt very much indeed,
 and on my own behalf and that of the Squadron, I should like to extend to you our
 deepest sympathy, at this very sad time."

Unit: No. 467 Squadron, RAF Bottesford, Leicestershire
Died: Air Operations (No. 467 Squadron Lancaster aircraft ED541, Germany, 4 September 1943, Aged 25 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
Remembered: Panel 187, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey UK
Remembered: Panel 110, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT

He was killed on a raid as part of one of the largest air operations mounted against Germany by the RAF.  Air Defences aere at a peak of effectiveness and efficiency.

Date: 3-4 September 1943
Target: Berlin
Total Force: Dispatched – 320, Attacking – 295
RAAF Force: No. 460 Dispatched – 24, Attacking – 24; No. 467 Dispatched – 15, Attacking – 15
Tons of Bombs Dropped: 906
Total Aircraft Lost: 22
RAAF Aircraft Lost: No. 460 – 3; No. 467 – 2

The third attack against Berlin on 3rd-4th September, although the smallest in numbers, was in some ways the most effective and caused heavy damage in the Siemenstadt, Charlottenburg and Mariendorf industrial suburbs. Four Mosquitos dropped decoy fighter flares well clear of the bomber stream and the usual diversionary attacks against towns and airfields were also mounted. The defences of Berlin were still strong, however, and the Australian squadrons suffered relatively high losses. No. 467, which had lost one commanding officer at Milan and his temporary relief three nights later at Peenemunde, now lost a newly-appointed flight commander, Flight Lieutenant Carmichael and one other crew. No. 460 also lost a flight commander (Squadron Leader Kelaher) and two other aircraft. One of these, captained by Flying Officer Randall, was badly crippled by gun fire and then by fighter attack over Berlin, but the pilot managed to fly it to Sweden before ordering his crew to bale out. Several other aircraft were badly damaged but the desperate battles with fighters had not brought any lowering of morale or determination. Flying Officer Gardner (10 continued his journey to bomb Berlin although his Lancaster had been badly damaged in a collision with another aircraft.

(1) Squadron Leader Clarence Charles Gardner DFC & Bar (416423) was discharged from the RAAF on 29 October 1945.

Extract from Herington, J. (John) (406545) Air War Against Germany and Italy 1939-1943, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1954 – Pages 581-582

Lancaster ED541 took off from RAF Bottesford at 1948 hours on the night of 3/4th September 1943 to bomb Berlin. The bomb load 1 x 4000 lb (pound) (1,800 kg) bomb, 64 x 30 lb (14 kg) and 600 x 4 lb (2 kg) incendiaries. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it did not return to base. Post war it was established that the aircraft crashed near Doberitz, Germany. All of the crew members were killed.

The crew members of ED541 were:

Pilot Officer Raymond Thomas James Bilney (129024) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Neville Edward Burgess (1274974) (RAFVR) (Bomb Aimer)
Flight Lieutenant Reginald Carmichael (412391) (Pilot)
Flying Officer Philip Ernest Henley MID (128547) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Sergeant Oliver Hughes Hodges (1301508) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Sergeant Raymond Lesser (R/117456) (RCAF) (Second Bomb Aimer) (a member of 1654 Conversion Unit)
Sergeant Charles Morrison Niven (R/147502) (RCAF) (Rear Gunner)
Sergeant Lewis Albert Saunders (14472) (Flight Engineer)

Reginald Carmichael's name is commemorated on Panel 187 at the Air Forces Memorial, Runnymede, Surrey, England.

His name is commemorated on Panel 110 at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, ACT.

Sourced and submitted by Julianne T Ryan.  4/7/2016. 

Updated by Steve Larkins 23 APril 2025

Lest we forget.