Studio portrait of 422130 Flight Sergeant (Flt Sgt) James Russell 'Swifty' Burgess, RAAF bomb ...

Studio portrait of 422130 Flight Sergeant (Flt Sgt) James Russell 'Swifty' Burgess, RAAF bomb aimer, of Rockdale, NSW. Flt Sgt Burgess, a member of 70 Squadron, RAF, was killed whilst on operations over Bulgaria with three other flight crew members on 29 June 1944. His all-Australian crew consisted of 427508 Flt Sgt Raymond Edwin James, rear gunner, of Perth, WA; O16029 (425316) Flight Lieutenant Geoffrey Gordon (Geoff) 'Knyvett the Navigator' Knyvett navigator, of Coorparoo Qld; 418752 Flt Sgt Thomas Ronald (Ron) Lowther, wireless operator, of Colac, Vic, and 417355 Flt Sgt Lloyd 'Pontius the Pilot' Fallon, pilot, of Adelaide, SA, and all were transferred to 70 Squadron, RAF. As each came from different Australian states there was much state rivalry between them. They were flying their 22nd mission together and were returning from a successful bombing raid in Romania when a German fighter shot them down. Only one crew member Flt Lt Knyvett survived. Several other crews from the mission were also shot down that night.

• Group portrait of RAAF crew members of No. 70 Squadron, RAF. Identified, left to right: 427508 ...