CREW MEMBER PROFILE

Surname:

FROST

First Name/s:

William Gordon "Bill"

No Image

Service No/s:

428286

Service:

RAAF

Branch:

Navigator

Awards:

39-45 Star, France & Germany Star, Defence Medal, War Medal

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SERVICE RECORDS

Date

Event

Aircraft Flown
05 Aug 1942

Applied for aircrew, Recruiting Centre, Melbourne, VIC

09 Oct 1942

Enlisted at 1 Recruiting Centre, Melbourne, VIC as AC2 aged 20y 10m.

13 Oct 1942

1 Recruit Depot, Shepparton, Melbourhe, VIC

08 Nov 1942

ITG Armament School, XXX

07 Dec 1942

1 Initial Training School, Somers, VIC

27 Feb 1943

Promoted to LAC

15 Mar 1943

7 Elementary Flying Training School, Western Junction, TAS

24 Jun 1943

2 Air Observer School, Mt Gambier, SA

20 Sep 1943

3 Bombing & Gunnery School, 39 (N) Course, Sale, VIC

11 Nov 1943

Awarded Observer's Flying Badge

15 Nov 1943

2 Air Navigation School, 39 Course, Nhill, VIC Astro Navigation Course

09 Dec 1943

Awarded Navigator's Flying Badge and promoted to Sergeant

10 Dec 1943

2 Embarkation Depot, Bradfield Park, NSW for embarkation

29 Dec 1943

Embarked Brisnbane, QLD

15 Jan 1944

Disembarked Canada (Halifax) date and place tbc

25 Jan 1944

Embarked Canada (Halifax) daye and place tbc

09 Feb 1944

Disembarked UK

10 Feb 1944

11 (RAAF) Personnel Despatch & Receiving Centre, Brighton

07 Mar 1944

4 (Observer) Advanced Flying Unit, West Freugh, Stranraer, Wigtonshire

11 Apr 1944

18 Operational Training Unit, Worksop & Finningley - Bastick crew formed

Wellington
09 Jun 1944

Promoted to Flt Sgt

23 Jul 1944

Accident in Wellington MF696, 3m N of Worksop. No casualties.

Wellington MF696
10 Sep 1944

1656 Heavy Conversion Unit, Lindholme

Halifax
10 Oct 1944

1 Lancaster Finishing School, Hemswell

Lancaster
14 Oct 1944

576 Squadron, Elsham Wolds & Fiskerton

Lancaster I & III
29 Oct 1944

Set Rank from Flight Record

20 Feb 1945

Set Rank from Flight Record

21 Feb 1945

Lost in NF975 UL-J2

Lancaster NF975

576 Squadron FLYING RECORDS

Date

Aircraft

Code

Flight Details

T/O

Land

Flt Time

Crew

29 Oct 1944

NG119

UL-D2

Training

1435

1935

5h00

P1   Plt Off R.S. Bastick
P2   
FE   Sgt F.G.J. Martin
AB   Flt Sgt W.V. Bibby
NAV  Flt Sgt W.G. Frost RAAF
WOp  Sgt D.S. Gould
MUG  Sgt H.A. Sargent
RG   Sgt R.L. Swaffer

NOTES:

Pre-operational cross-country exercise.

31 Oct 1944

NG119

UL-D2

Elsham Wolds to Fiskerton

nk

nk

0h20 tbc

P1   Plt Off R.S. Bastick
P2   
FE   Sgt F.G.J. Martin
AB   Flt Sgt W.V. Bibby
NAV  Flt Sgt W.G. Frost RAAF
WOp  Sgt D.S. Gould
MUG  Sgt H.A. Sargent
RG   Sgt R.L. Swaffer

NOTES:

Transit to Squadron's new home at Fiskerton. Two groundcrew were carried as passengers; 1245903 James Leslie Brentnall (Airframe mechanic) and 613 Elson (Engine mechanic).

03 Nov 1944

JB410

UL-H2

Training

1610

2025

4h15

P1   Plt Off R.S. Bastick
P2   
FE   Sgt F.G.J. Martin
AB   Flt Sgt W.V. Bibby
NAV  Flt Sgt W.G. Frost RAAF
WOp  Sgt D.S. Gould
MUG  Sgt H.A. Sargent
RG   Sgt R.L. Swaffer

NOTES:

Cross-country navigation exercise.

04 Nov 1944

PD309

UL-W2

BOCHUM

1730

2220

4h50

P1   Plt Off R.S. Bastick
P2   
FE   Sgt F.G.J. Martin
AB   Flt Sgt W.V. Bibby
NAV  Flt Sgt W.G. Frost RAAF
WOp  Sgt D.S. Gould
MUG  Sgt H.A. Sargent
RG   Sgt R.L. Swaffer

NOTES:

Target: Built-up area. Bombed at 17,000ft. Load: 1x 4000lb, 6x 1000lb, 6x 500lb bombs

06 Nov 1944

NF976

UL-Q2

GELSENKIRCHEN

1200

1610

4h10

P1   Plt Off R.S. Bastick
P2   
FE   Sgt F.G.J. Martin
AB   Flt Sgt W.V. Bibby
NAV  Flt Sgt W.G. Frost RAAF
WOp  Sgt D.S. Gould
MUG  Sgt H.A. Sargent
RG   Sgt R.L. Swaffer

NOTES:

Target: Nortstern synthetic oil plant. Bombed at 17,000 ft. Load: 1x 4000lb, 6x 1000lb, 7x 500lb bombs

09 Nov 1944

NG119

UL-D2

WANNE-EICKEL

0830

1310

4h40

P1   Plt Off R.S. Bastick
P2   
FE   Sgt F.G.J. Martin
AB   Flt Sgt W.V. Bibby
NAV  Flt Sgt W.G. Frost RAAF
WOp  Sgt D.S. Gould
MUG  Sgt H.A. Sargent
RG   Sgt R.L. Swaffer

NOTES:

Target: Synthetic oil plant. Bombed at 20,000 ft. Load: 1x 4000lb 'cookie', 16x 500lb bombs

10 Nov 1944

PD309

UL-W2

Training

1500

1655

1h55

P1   Plt Off R.S. Bastick
P2   
FE   Sgt F.G.J. Martin
AB   Flt Sgt W.V. Bibby
NAV  Flt Sgt W.G. Frost RAAF
WOp  Sgt D.S. Gould
MUG  Sgt H.A. Sargent
RG   Sgt R.L. Swaffer

NOTES:

Practice bombing and fighter affiliation.

11 Nov 1944

ME317

UL-C2

DORTMUND

1605

2135

5h30

P1   Plt Off R.S. Bastick
P2   
FE   Sgt F.G.J. Martin
AB   Flt Sgt W.V. Bibby
NAV  Flt Sgt W.G. Frost RAAF
WOp  Sgt D.S. Gould
MUG  Sgt H.A. Sargent
RG   Sgt R.L. Swaffer

NOTES:

Target: Hoesch Benzin GmbH synthetic oil plant. Damaged by flak. Bombed at 16,000 ft. Load: 1x 4000lb, 6x 1000lb, 6x 500lb bombs.

13 Nov 1944

ME317

UL-C2

Training

1430

1630

2h00

P1   Plt Off R.S. Bastick
P2   
FE   Sgt F.G.J. Martin
AB   Flt Sgt W.V. Bibby
NAV  Flt Sgt W.G. Frost RAAF
WOp  Sgt D.S. Gould
MUG  Sgt H.A. Sargent
RG   Sgt R.L. Swaffer

NOTES:

Cross-country navigation exercise.

16 Nov 1944

ME317

UL-C2

DUREN

1255

1725

4h30

P1   Fg Off R.S. Bastick
P2   
FE   Sgt F.G.J. Martin
AB   Flt Sgt W.V. Bibby
NAV  Flt Sgt W.G. Frost RAAF
WOp  Sgt D.S. Gould
MUG  Sgt H.A. Sargent
RG   Sgt R.L. Swaffer

NOTES:

Target: Enemy positions & lines of communication. Damaged by light flak. Flown in support of American 1st & 9th Armies. Bombed at 10,000ft. Load: 1x 4000lb, 6x 1000lb, 7x 500lb bombs.

21 Nov 1944

ME317

UL-C2

ASCHAFFENBURG

1605

2215

6h10

P1   Fg Off R.S. Bastick
P2   
FE   Sgt J.L.M. McTernaghan
AB   Flt Sgt W.V. Bibby
NAV  Flt Sgt W.G. Frost RAAF
WOp  Sgt D.S. Gould
MUG  Sgt H.A. Sargent
RG   Sgt R.L. Swaffer

NOTES:

Target: Marshalling yards. Bombed at 12,500 ft. Load: 1x 4000lb, 16x 500lb bombs.

25 Nov 1944

ME735

UL-P2

Training

1425

1550

1h25

P1   Fg Off R.S. Bastick
P2   
FE   Sgt F.G.J. Martin
AB   Flt Sgt W.V. Bibby
NAV  Flt Sgt W.G. Frost RAAF
WOp  Sgt D.S. Gould
MUG  Sgt H.A. Sargent
RG   Sgt R.L. Swaffer

NOTES:

Practice bombing.

29 Nov 1944

NG119

UL-D2

DORTMUND

1225

1735

5h10

P1   Fg Off R.S. Bastick
P2   
FE   Sgt F.G.J. Martin
AB   Flt Sgt W.V. Bibby
NAV  Flt Sgt W.G. Frost RAAF
WOp  Sgt D.S. Gould
MUG  Sgt H.A. Sargent
RG   Sgt R.L. Swaffer

NOTES:

Target: Industrial and rail targets within the built-up area. Bombed at 14,000 ft. Hit by heavy flak which damaged the port inner engine. The shell burst between the port inner and the fuselage, which rendered the WOp, Sgt Gould, unconscious and causing severe ear damage for which he was was subsequently grounded. The port inner and one other engine had to be shut down and the aircraft was forced to return to Fiskerton on the remaining two engines. Load 1x 4000lb, 5x 1000lb, 7x 500lb bombs.

30 Nov 1944

ME317

UL-C2

Training

1625

1930

3h05

P1   Fg Off R.S. Bastick
P2   
FE   Sgt F.G.J. Martin
AB   Flt Sgt W.V. Bibby
NAV  Flt Sgt W.G. Frost RAAF
WOp  Sgt D.S. Gould
MUG  Sgt H.A. Sargent
RG   Sgt R.L. Swaffer

NOTES:

'Y' (H2S) cross-country navigation exercise.

29 Dec 1944

NF975

UL-J2

SCHOLVEN / BUER

1515

2100

5h45

P1   Fg Off R.S. Bastick
P2   
FE   Sgt F.G.J. Martin
AB   Flt Sgt W.V. Bibby
NAV  Flt Sgt W.G. Frost RAAF
WOp  Sgt E. Johnson
MUG  Sgt H.A. Sargent
RG   Sgt R.L. Swaffer

NOTES:

Target: Hydeierwerke Scholven synthetic oil refinery. Load: 1x 4000lb, 16x 500lb bombs.

01 Jan 1945

ME317

UL-C2

Training

nk

nk

2h10

P1   Fg Off R.S. Bastick
P2   
FE   Sgt F.G.J. Martin
AB   Flt Sgt W.V. Bibby
NAV  Flt Sgt W.G. Frost RAAF
WOp  Flt Sgt J. Coates
MUG  Sgt H.A. Sargent
RG   Sgt R.L. Swaffer

NOTES:

'Y' (H2S) simulated bombing runs, practice bombing and fighter affiliation.

05 Jan 1945

NF975

UL-J2

ROYAN

0205

0905

7h00

P1   Fg Off R.S. Bastick
P2   
FE   Sgt F.G.J. Martin
AB   Flt Sgt W.V. Bibby
NAV  Flt Sgt W.G. Frost RAAF
WOp  Flt Sgt J. Coates
MUG  Sgt H.A. Sargent
RG   Sgt R.L. Swaffer

NOTES:

Enemy garrison & supply depot. Flown in support of the Free French forces besieging the town. Load: 1x 4000lb, 16x 500lb bombs.

14 Jan 1945

NF975

UL-J2

MERSEBURG / LEUNA

1915

0325

8h10

P1   Fg Off R.S. Bastick
P2   
FE   Sgt F.G.J. Martin
AB   Flt Sgt W.V. Bibby
NAV  Flt Sgt W.G. Frost RAAF
WOp  Flt Sgt J. Coates
MUG  Sgt H.A. Sargent
RG   Sgt R.L. Swaffer

NOTES:

Target: IG Farbenindustrie synthetic oil refinery. Load: 1x 4000lb ‘cookie’, 12x 500lb bombs

16 Jan 1945

NF975

UL-J2

ZEITZ - TROGLITZ

1735

0120

7h45

P1   Fg Off R.S. Bastick
P2   
FE   Sgt F.G.J. Martin
AB   Flt Sgt W.V. Bibby
NAV  Flt Sgt W.G. Frost RAAF
WOp  Flt Sgt J. Coates
MUG  Sgt H.A. Sargent
RG   Sgt R.L. Swaffer

NOTES:

Target: Braunkohle-Benzin synthetic oil plant (low grade MT fuel). Load: 1x 4000lb 'cookie', 12x 500lb bombs.

22 Jan 1945

NF975

UL-J2

DUISBERG

1655

2155

5h00

P1   Fg Off R.S. Bastick
P2   
FE   Sgt F.G.J. Martin
AB   Flt Sgt W.V. Bibby
NAV  Flt Sgt W.G. Frost RAAF
WOp  Flt Sgt J. Coates
MUG  Sgt H.A. Sargent
RG   Sgt R.L. Swaffer

NOTES:

Target: Steelwork coking ovens & rolling mills in the Hamborn area of the city and a benzol plant in Bruckhausen. Load: 1x 4000lb 'cookie', 16x 500lb bombs

27 Jan 1945

NF975

UL-J2

Training

nk

nk

3h00

P1   Fg Off R.S. Bastick
P2   
FE   Sgt F.G.J. Martin
AB   Flt Sgt W.V. Bibby
NAV  Flt Sgt W.G. Frost RAAF
WOp  Flt Sgt J. Coates
MUG  Sgt H.A. Sargent
RG   Sgt R.L. Swaffer

NOTES:

High-level bombing, 'Y' (H2S) simulated bombing runs, air-to-sea firing

01 Feb 1945

NF975

UL-J2

LUDWIGSHAFEN

1605

2255

6h50

P1   Fg Off R.S. Bastick
P2   
FE   Sgt F.G.J. Martin
AB   Flt Sgt W.V. Bibby
NAV  Flt Sgt W.G. Frost RAAF
WOp  Flt Sgt J. Coates
MUG  Sgt H.A. Sargent
RG   Sgt R.L. Swaffer

NOTES:

Target: Marshalling yards, factories and enemy troop positions. Load: 1x 4000lb 'cookie', 1620x 4lb incendiaries

03 Feb 1945

NF975

UL-J2

BOTTROP

1615

2200

5h45

P1   Fg Off R.S. Bastick
P2   
FE   Sgt F.G.J. Martin
AB   Flt Sgt W.V. Bibby
NAV  Flt Sgt W.G. Frost RAAF
WOp  Flt Sgt J. Coates
MUG  Sgt H.A. Sargent
RG   Sgt R.L. Swaffer

NOTES:

Target: Prosper coking plant & benzol refinery. Load: 1x 4000lb 'cookie', 16x 500lb bombs

06 Feb 1945

NF975

UL-J2

Training

nk

nk

1h20

P1   Fg Off R.S. Bastick
P2   
FE   Sgt F.G.J. Martin
AB   Flt Sgt W.V. Bibby
NAV  Flt Sgt W.G. Frost RAAF
WOp  Flt Sgt J. Coates
MUG  Sgt H.A. Sargent
RG   Sgt R.L. Swaffer

NOTES:

Practice bombing.

15 Feb 1945

PD363

UL-K2

Training

nk

nk

2h55

P1   Fg Off R.S. Bastick
P2   
FE   Sgt F.G.J. Martin
AB   Flt Sgt W.V. Bibby
NAV  Flt Sgt W.G. Frost RAAF
WOp  Flt Sgt J. Coates
MUG  Sgt H.A. Sargent
RG   Sgt R.L. Swaffer
PAX   Flt Sgt D.S. Gould

NOTES:

Practice bombing, air-to-sea firing, and 'Y' (H2S) simulated bombing runs. Flt Sgt Gould, having recovered from his ear problem, appears on the trip too: probably under supervision on his first trip back.

20 Feb 1945

NF975

UL-J2

DORTMUND

2140

FTR

nk

P1   Fg Off R.S. Bastick
P2   
FE   Sgt F.G.J. Martin
AB   Flt Sgt W.V. Bibby
NAV  Flt Sgt W.G. Frost RAAF
WOp  Flt Sgt J. Coates
MUG  Sgt H.A. Sargent
RG   Sgt R.L. Swaffer

NOTES:

Target: Rhenania Ossag oil refinery, in the Reisholz district of the city. Load: 1x 2000lb, 2100x 4lb incendiaries. The fate of NF975 may never be known, as the aircraft and her crew disappeared without trace, nothing being heard from the crew after take-off from Fiskerton at 2141. The crew are commemorated at the Runnymede Memorial, on Panels 266, 270, 276, 277 and 284.

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