Fragment of RAF Typhoon MN920 relating to Warrant Officer Ronald Desmond 'Gilbo' Gilbert, 181 Squadron

Small section of Hawker Typhoon IB MN920 engine with parts of two nuts and bolts still attached, which crashed in woods near Guerquesalles, a small town in Normandy, France on 19 August 1944. The pilot was Warrant Officer Ronald Desmond 'Gilbo' Gilbert, RAAF.

413188 Warrant Officer pilot Ronald Desmond 'Gilbo' Gilbert was born in Perth, Western Australia in October 1921. His family moved to Newcastle, New South Wales, while he was still a child and he completed his schooling there before being employed as a clerk with Tramway Transport.

Gilbert was serving in the militia with 51st Anti-Aircraft Company, when he enlisted in the RAAF on 16 August 1941. He trained in Australia and qualified as a pilot before being posted to the United Kingdom in August 1942, where he undertook further training. In November 1943 he was posted to 181 Squadron RAF, flying single-engined Hawker Typhoon fighter bombers. Following the D-Day landings in France in June 1944 the squadron operated out of a number of makeshift airfields in Normandy. Between June and August they were based at airfield B6 near Coulombs, together with 247 Squadron, also flying Typhoons.

Gilbert was mentioned in despatches for an incident that occurred there on 6 July. The citation reads: 'At about 14.00 hours on 6th July 1944 a Typhoon aircraft damaged by enemy action, crashed onto the eight "readiness" aircraft of No. 247 Squadron in the marshalling area, at the down wind end of the strip on B.6 airfield. It immediately burst into flames and set fire to three other aircraft. The remaining five aircraft in the area were in very grave danger of being set alight from the flames, and being seriously damaged by exploding rockets, ammunition, petrol tanks and oxygen bottles./ W/O Gilbert of 181 Squadron immediately entered the cockpit of one of the aircraft and attempted to start it. The Typhoon unfortunately would not start, but he courageously remained in the cockpit until it was towed to safety. I consider his attempt to save this aircraft, which was only ten yards from the nearest burning one, an act of great gallantry and he gave a very fine example to the witnesses of the incident.'

On 19 August 1944 Gilbert failed to return from an armed reconnaissance mission over the Vimoutiers area. Neither he nor his aircraft could be located and his name is recorded on the Runnymede Memorial in England. In 2014 a collector came forward with a section of the rear fuselage from Gilbert's aircraft, clearly marked with its serial number. He had acquired from a farmer near Guerquesalles, who had found it in an adjacent wood. The citizens of Guerquesalles located members of Gilbert's family who travelled to France for a memorial service in his honour. A commemorative plaque was unveiled near the crash site and a grove of eucalypts planted in his memory.