Weeks, G V (George Victor)
Weeks, G V (George Victor)
Pilot Officer George Victor Weeks was the son of Daniel Robert and Priscilla Elizabeth Weeks, of Ballarat, Victoria, Australia; husband of Nancy May Weeks, of Manly Vale, New South Wales, Australia.
On the 14th of November 1944, a Wellington bomber,[1] HF396 of 172 Squadron of the RAF took off at 01:48 hours from RAF Limavady, to carry out an operational patrol over the sea at night in an area northwest of Ireland. Onboard was RAF Pilot Officer John Robert Baxter,[2] RAF Flight Sergeant Raymond Daniel Jerrard,[3] this airman, RAAF Pilot Officer George Victor Weeks, RAAF Warrant Officer James Goudie Lawrence,[4] RAF Flight Sergeant Herbert Hall[5] and RAF Sergeant William Barle Pike.[6]
At around 01:56, a Coast Guard at Ramore Head in Portrush, on the north coast of Northern Ireland spotted a plane coming from the south of the river Foyle and the direction of Limavady. It was flying at around 1,500 feet and seemed to be in trouble. There were flashes seen coming from the tale and within a minute, as the coast guard observed, the bomber burst into flames and suddenly crashed into the sea around 10 miles off the seaside town.
Wreckage was later washed ashore in Donegal, Ireland. It showed signs of fire damage and the body of Pilot Officer George Victor Weeks was found in the sea off Magilligan point in Northern Ireland, only a few miles from RAF Limavady. Unfortunately, there was no sign of the rest of the crew.
George Weeks was buried with a full military funeral.
Date of Death: 14/11/1944 (Aged 30)
Service: Pilot Officer, Royal Australian Air Force.
Service Number: 422034
Burial Location: Grave 23.
[1] The Vickers Wellington was a twin engines long range bomber, that made its maiden flight during June 1936, finally going into service October 1938.
[2] Pilot Officer John Robert Baxter (service number 188172), aged 25, was the son of John Charles and Hilda Grace Baxter, husband of Kathleen Rose Baxter, of Kentish Town, London. His body was never recovered.
[3] Flight Sergeant Raymond Daniel Jerrard (service number 1320341), aged 22, was the son of Joseph James Jerrard and Maggie Jerrard, of Chideock, Dorsetshire. His body was never recovered.
[4] Warrant Officer James Goudie Lawrence, service number 425523, aged 21 was the son of Robert and Margaret Lawrence, of Dululu, Queensland, Australia. His body was never recovered.
[5] Flight Sergeant Herbert Hall, service number 1084150, aged 23 was the son of James and Esther Hall, of Bolton, Lancashire, England. His body was never recovered.
[6] Sergeant William Barle Pike, service number 798695, aged 22, was the son of William Henry and Alice Margaret Pike, of Buchans, Newfoundland. His body was never recovered.
