The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (420304) Flying Officer Russell George Tickner, No. 196 Squadron, RAF, Second World War

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Craig Berelle, the story for this day was on (420304) Flying Officer Russell George Tickner, No. 196 Squadron, RAF, Second World War.

420304 Flying Officer Russell George Tickner, No. 196 Squadron, RAF
KIA 25 February 1945
Photograph: UK1397 or UK1414 (standing far right)

Story delivered 26 April 2014

Today we remember and pay tribute to Flying Officer Russell George Tickner.

Russell George Tickner was born in Goulburn, New South Wales, on 28 July 1920 to George and Azalea Tickner. He grew up and attended school in the local area. After leaving school he moved to Orange and was employed as a bank teller at the Goolagong Branch of the Bank of New South Wales.

Tickner enlisted for service with the Royal Australian Air Force on 11 October 1941. He was accepted for pilot training and after completing his initial training spent the next six months learning to fly a variety of aircraft. He was awarded his pilot wings in June 1942 and embarked for service overseas aboard the transport ship Port Auckland on the first day of 1943, arriving in England in March.

After briefly joining No. 90 Squadron, RAF, Tickner was posted to No. 196 Squadron, an airborne support and special operations squadron. At this time the squadron was training with British paratroopers and glider forces for the impending invasion of France.

In late March, during a leave period, he married Phyllis Patricia Fry, a young lady whom he had met shortly after arriving in England.

At 11.20 pm on 5 June 1944, 23 Stirlings of No. 196 Squadron, including one flown by Tickner, took off for Normandy. Aboard each aircraft were up to 20 paratroopers and their equipment.

Once across the French coastline, German flak and anti-aircraft fire lit up the sky, and the paratroopers exited the aircraft near the town of Ranville. One aircraft was shot down on the return journey but the other 22, including Tickner's, made it back safely.

A week later Tickner was commissioned with the rank of pilot officer. He continued to fly training missions as well as the occasional resupply operation to resistance forces in Norway and France.

Tickner's next big operation was Market Garden in September 1944, flying British airborne forces and several resupply operations to Arnhem, Holland. The resupply flights were harrowing, with heavy German flak encountered over the drop zones.

On 25 February 1945 Tickner and his crew set out in the early evening on an operational flight to Norway. Their objective was to resupply a Norwegian resistance group near Navarsgard. Soon after crossing the border, Tickner's aircraft was attacked by three German night fighters. After a brief struggle, the Stirling's starboard wing was in flames and the aircraft was beyond salvation.

Directly in his path was the town of Arendal. Tickner ordered his crew to bail out, and several managed to do so. Tickner aimed his aircraft for Lake Hølen, which was covered with winter ice. The stricken Stirling crashed through the ice and disappeared. Tickner, his wireless operator, and his flight engineer, whose parachute had been caught on the aircraft as he bailed out, were killed in the crash. Tickner's body was not recovered and the wreck of the Stirling is believed to have remained at the bottom of Lake Hølen. Today Flying Officer Tickner is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial to the missing in England.

His name is also listed on the Roll of Honour on my left, along with around 40,000 others from the Second World War. His photograph is displayed today beside the Pool of Reflection.

This is but one of the many stories of courage and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Flying Officer Russell George Tickner, and all of those Australians who have given their lives in service of our nation.