The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (409653) Flying Officer Ivan Sydney Baudinette, No. 460 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, 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 Chris Widenbar, the story for this day was on (409653) Flying Officer Ivan Sydney Baudinette, No. 460 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, Second World War.

409653 Flying Officer Ivan Sydney Baudinette, No. 460 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force
Killed in flying battle 5 March 1945
Photograph: UK0536

Story delivered 26 June 2017

Today we pay tribute to Flying Officer Ivan Sydney Baudinette.

Ivan Baudinette was born on 29 October 1921 in Hamilton in western Victoria, the son of Sydney and Ethel Baudinette.

Little is known about Baudinette prior to his enlistment in the Royal Australian Air Force on 10 October 1941, at the age of 19.

Following his enlistment in the RAAF, Baudinette commenced training as a wireless operator and air gunner. After initial training in Australia, he embarked for overseas service.

As part of the Empire Air Training Scheme, Baudinette was one of almost 27,500 RAAF pilots, navigators, wireless operators, gunners, and engineers, who, throughout the course of the war, joined Royal Air Force squadrons or Australian squadrons based in Britain.

After his arrival in Britain, Baudinette undertook further specialist training before being posted to No. 460 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force.

No. 460 Squadron would become the most highly decorated Australian squadron in Bomber Command, and was the squadron that suffered the highest casualties. Flying twin engine Vickers Wellingtons medium bombers, and then four engine Avro Lancaster heavy bombers, the squadron lost over 1,000 men from Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa. Almost 600 Australians from 460 Squadron are listed on the Roll of Honour.

On the night of 5 March, 21 Lancasters from 460 Squadron were taking part in a large raid targeting the industrial and rail centre of Chemnitz, Germany. During this operation, the Lancaster in which Baudinette was the wireless operator and air gunner crashed near the small village of Pfieffe, near Spangenberg in central Germany. The local mayor reported that the Lancaster had circled low with its engines on fire before crashing.

Baudinette, and all seven of his crewmates were killed, including the Australians Squadron Leader John Holmes, Flight Sergeant Trevor Clarke, Flying Officer Donald Hudspeth, Flight Lieutenant Thomas Morgan, and Warrant Officer Elwyn Mayne, the British Sergeant John Young, and Sergeant Ralph Hayward from Newfoundland.

The bodies of the crew were recovered and buried in the Pfieffe churchyard. They were later reinterred, where they are buried side-byside in the British and Commonwealth War Cemetery in Hanover, Germany.

Ivan Baudinette was 23 years old.

Upon his headstone reads the following epitaph, as chosen by his family:

Golden memories
Will linger always
Of you, our son and brother

Ivan Baudinette is listed on the Roll of Honour on my left, among some 40,000 Australians who died while serving in the Second World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Flying Officer Ivan Sydney Baudinette, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Lachlan Grant
Military History Section