Vale Geoffrey Conacher

We sadly report the passing of Odd Bod, Geoffrey Conacher, on 20/11/2022. We are advised by his wife, Marion, that Geoffrey passed peacefully in comfort.

 Geoffrey  CONACHER   419799  PLT  622 Squadron.

Geoffrey Conacher grew up in Australia and after a few months in the army he joined the Royal Australian Air Force in 1942. After training he flew 14 operations as a pilot with 622 Squadron (see below). His aircraft was shot down and he baled out over liberated France. 

Geoffrey joined the Odd Bods in 1992 and featured at the unveiling of the Odd Bods Bronze Plaque at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra in March 2020.

Geoffrey Conacher (second from left) at Odd Bods plaque unveiling Canberra 2020.

An IBCC interview was conducted with Geoffrey back in 2017 and is available online. Geoffrey gives a fascinating account of his wartime experiences. At the end of the war Geoffrey flew Lancasters that were bringing POWs back to the UK, some of them after 5 years of internment. He particularly remembers the delighted looks on their faces when they returned to England. Here is the link to the audio interview - https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/document/3378

Our condolences and best wishes to Marion and family.

622 Squadron: No. 622 Squadron was first formed at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk on 10 August 1943, equipped with Stirling Mk.III bombers, as part of 3 Group in Bomber Command. It re-equipped with Lancaster Mk.III bombers in December, after briefly operating Lancaster Mk.Is that month. It operated in Bomber Command's Main Force as part of No 3 Group until April 1945 when it moved to humanitarian duties dropping food to the Dutch (Operation Manna), repatriating POWs (Operation Exodus) and ferrying troops home from Italy. The Squadron was disbanded at Mildenhall on 15 August 1945.

POSTSCRIPT: 1/12/2022 - At today's funeral we were treated to a variety of moving stories about Geoff's life and particularly his love of family. The photo tribute included a number of photos from the Odd Bods Bronze Plaque unveiling in Canberra. An RSL component in the service gave details of Geoff's war service as a Lancaster Pilot.

Remembrance Day In Selby UK

 

Selby is a market town in North Yorkshire about 22k south of York on the River Ouse. On Remembrance Day (11th November), local school children place a poppy cross on each of the war graves. Most Commonwealth War Graves are aircrew, and of course some are RAAF.

We know this because one of our members, Bryan Wilcockson, a resident of Selby, regularly corresponds with us, and this year he has sent us photographs of the Remembrance Day service in his town.

Just as our Odd Bods shared a unified determination with UK service personnel to protect our freedom during WW2, it is gratifying to note that the “remembering” is also shared by today’s communities on both sides of the globe - Lest we forget.

Remembrance Day 2022

The 11th day of the 11th month is steeped in Australia's history as the day we celebrate the end of World War 1, and the day we remember all service personnel who died in the line of duty.

For Odd Bods there is a special place where we observe Rememberance Day and that is the Repatriation Hospital in Heidelberg, Melbourne. One of the original Odd Bods banners was made at the Austin/Heidelberg Repatriation General Hospital by a seamstress in the hospital laundry. That banner served many good years at Odd Bods events including the Anzac Day March and is now on display in the hospital chapel.

A service is held in the grounds of the hospital each Remembrance Day and the following photos were recorded at todays service attended by a number of our Association members. Thank you to Peter Randell for supplying the photos.

Vale Arthur Atkins DFC

Arthur H.C. Atkins DFC 418514 Pilot 625 Squadron.

Arthur Atkins, a life subscriber to the Odd Bods, has passed away at the age of 105.

Arthur passed on 26th October and was a stalwart member of the Odd Bods, an attendee at Bomber Command Commemorative Association presentations, and Patron and Life member of the Mercantile Rowing Club.

In WW2 Arthur transferred from the Army to the RAAF and did his elementary flying training at 11 EFTS Benalla, then SFTS at Mallala on Avro Ansons. He was posted to England, where he trained on Wellingtons then Lancasters at No1 Lancaster Finishing School. Arthur completed 31 missions and was Pilot of a Lancaster Bomber, earning a DFC in the process. 

Arthur was the subject of a number of veteran interviews, audio, video and written, and you will find links below. There are many fascinating stories of war service.

Our condolences to the family of Odd Bod Arthur Atkins.

https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/document/2319

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C2792491

https://somethingverybig.com/tag/bomber-command/page/2/