Flying Officer Ernest Gatenby Fletcher, No. 463 Squadron, RAAF
Australian War MemorialErnest “Ernie” Fletcher was born on 12 July 1913 in Toowoomba, Queensland, the son of Edwin and Annie Fletcher. He had an older sister, Mary, and a younger brother, Linley. Their mother died in 1926, and their father, a grazier in Morven, passed away in 1933.
After leaving school, Ernest became station manager of the Ernest Charles Fletcher Estate at Morven, running sheep and cattle. On 9 April 1936 he married Jessie Wilson. They had two sons: John and Robert.
On 9 November 1941, Fletcher enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force. He trained as an air bomber, and left for Canada on 19 August 1942. As part of the Empire Air Training Scheme he was one of almost 27,000 RAAF pilots, navigators, wireless operators, gunners and engineers, who joined Australian and British squadrons throughout the war.
Fletcher was commissioned as a pilot officer in May 1943 and left for the United Kingdom. On 31 March 1944, Flying Officer Fletcher was posted to No. 463 Squadron, RAAF, flying four-engined Avro Lancaster heavy bombers.
On the night of 4 July 1944, Bomber Command launched a major raid on German flying bomb installations in the limestone caverns and quarries at St Leu D’Esserent in France. Fifteen aircraft were sent. Fletcher was the bomb aimer onboard Lancaster “JO-K”.
German fighter resistance was heavy and Fletcher’s aircraft was shot down. It crashed near Lyon-la-Foret, 80 kilometres west of the target.
Killed in the crash were Flying Officers Noel Webb, Arthur Connor, and Malcolm McLeod, Warrant Officer Launcelot Harrison, Flight Sergeants Archie Gillett and Patrick Dunford, Sergeant Thomas Hendry, and Flying Officer Ernest Fletcher. He was 30 years old.
The bodies of seven of the crew were recovered and buried at Marissel French National Cemetery in Beauvais. The eighth crew member was never found.
Ernest’s brother, Linley, also enlisted and served with No. 43 Squadro, RAAF, becoming Squadron Leader.
Ernest left a wife and two young sons. In 1993, his son John, driven to desperation by the drought affecting his grazing land, committed suicide.
After the war, the remains of Commonwealth servicemen in Europe were identified where possible. Three of the crew of Lancaster JO-K could not be identified, including Ernest Fletcher. He was reinterred next to his crewmates but has no marked grave. His name is commemorated on the Memorial to the Missing at Runnymede, Surrey.
Christina Zissis, Editor, Military History Section
Image: Informal group portrait of RAAF officers stationed at RAF Station Beccles. Identified from left to right: A31907 Sergeant Patrick William ‘Pat’ O'Grady, No. 34 Squadron RAAF; 414792 Flying Officer Ernest Gatenby 'Ernie' Fletcher, No. 463 Squadron RAAF, who later was killed on operations over France on 4 July 1944; 79134 Leading Aircraftman Stanley Roper Somerville; 441009 Leading Aircraftman Vernon ‘Pom’ Hyam; 415299 Flying Officer Mervyn Charles 'Merv' Blee, No. 86 Squadron RAAF; 3926 Flight Sergeant James Alexander MacKenzie; Tony Withers; O56705 (415666) Warrant Officer Bryan John ‘Brick’ Lardi and 415816 Pilot Officer Raymond Lance 'Lance' Roberts, No. 59 Squadron RAAF.
