Taylor, Claremont Logie (Flight Sergeant, b.1922 - d.2004)

Places
Accession Number PR01201
Collection type Private Record
Record type Collection
Measurement Extent: .5 cm; Wallet/s: 1
Object type Papers
Maker Taylor, Claremont Logie (Clarrie)
Place made Australia, Germany, United Kingdom: England, United States of America
Date made 1941-1945; Unknown
Access Open
Conflict Second World War, 1939-1945
Copying Provisions Copyright expired. Copying permitted subject to physical condition. Permission for reproduction not required., Copyright restrictions apply. Only personal, non-commercial, research and study use permitted. Permission of copyright holder required for any commercial use and/or reproduction.
Description

Collection relating to the Second World War service of 405237 Flight Lieutenant Claremont Logie 'Clarrie' Taylor, No. 460 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, 1941-1945.

Wallet 1 of 1 consists of 2 folders containing two operational flight logs, one flying log and a manuscript.

Folder 1 of 2 - Contains two operation flight logs and a typed account of these and several other operations flown over German-occupied Europe in the Lancaster bomber “G for George” during March and April 1943. In the two operation flight logs, dated 12 March 1943 and 20 April 1943, Taylor records flight details such as crewmembers, targets, locations, altitudes and air temperatures, wind speeds, times, navigational observations, and general observations. The typed accounts cover five operations flown between 12 March and 30 April 1943. In these accounts Taylor writes about several operations in greater detail, including bombing missions on a Krupps armament factory at Essen in Germany, on docks and submarine yards at La Spezia in Italy, and on the port and submarine yards at Stettin (Szczecin) in Poland.

Folder 2 of 2 - Contains a flying log book relating to Taylor's training and service as a navigator, bomb aimer and instructor. The log book records information such as dates and times of flights, aircraft types and numbers, air crews, targets and locations, and remarks relating to operations. More broadly the log book outlines Taylor's training at Cootamundra and surrounding areas in New South Wales, departure for England to complete operational training, posting to No. 460 Squadron, and bombing missions over German-occupied Europe. Many of these bombing missions were completed in the noted Lancaster bomber “G for George”. After his first operational tour, Taylor served as a navigation instructor with several heavy conversion units and with the United States Army. Upon returning to Australia he continued serving as a navigational instructor with postings to No. 7 Operational Training Unit and No. 25 Squadron.

The log book also contains a copy of a poem “An Airman’s Prayer” by 400524 Flight Sergeant Hugh Rowell Brodie, a member of No. 460 Squadron killed in action during an air raid over Germany on 3 June 1942.