Wanted to post this just over a fortnight ago but have been locked out of the message board for over a month now and the 'forgotten password' option doesn't work. (Darren is going to look into that.)

Anyway....

Late in the afternoon on 3rd September 1939, on the first day of WW2, the first Australian airman to fly operational sortie was F/O Ellis Henry "Rossy" Ross (from Tamworth NSW) who piloted a 83 Sqn (RAF) Hampden L4055 on a raid to bomb German warships which they fail to find in poor visibility and falling darkness. His Hampden was 1 of 9 from 49, 83 & 144 Sqns (all RAF).

He is not listed in the WW2 Nominal roll perhaps because he was on short term service commission with the RAF or joined the RAF directly. He received a DFC on 31/5/1940 while flying a Hampden with 83 Sqn (RAF) and was involved in the operation of attacking the Bismark while docked at Wilhelmshaven. He was KIA while attacking the Dortmund/Ems Canal on the night of 12/13 August in Hampden P4410 (OL-H). This was the operation were F/L Roderick Learoyd received a VC.

So does anyone have any more info on him or his Hampden of 3/9/1940? Like sqn code and letter etc.

Imagine attacking the Bismark in a Hampden - a guts effort indeed. A braver man than I.

Lest We Forget...

Gordon