• Operation Chastise (Dambusters Raid)

Date of birth:

March 15th, 1922 (Vaucluse/Sydney, Australia)

Date of death:

August 9th, 1995 (Hobart/Tasmania, Australia)

Service number:

403182

Nationality:

Australian

Anthony Fisher Burcher, born in Vaucluse, Sydney, on March 15, 1922, was the fifth of twelve children.

A wool sorter before joining the RAAF, he arrived in England in September 1941 and trained before posting to 106 Squadron. His first mission was the Thousand Bomber raid on June 1, 1942, attacking Essen. He completed a full tour by November.

Awarded the DFM, Burcher was noted for repelling enemy fighters over Saarbrücken. Though occasionally reprimanded for rowdy behavior, his gunnery skills earned him a commission and a spot in the Gunnery Leaders Course. He later became an instructor at 1654 Conversion Unit before joining 617 Squadron.

On the Dams Raid, Burcher was lightly wounded when AJ-M was hit by flak. After the final attack, he helped the severely injured John Minchin bail out before jumping himself. Captured separately from John Fraser, he suffered a broken back and was beaten by German interrogators.

Freed in 1945, Burcher married Joan Barnes, continued in the RAAF, and had two daughters. In the late 1940s, his declining health and behavior troubled his superiors. Transferred to London in 1950, he was discharged in 1952 and returned to Australia.

Later, he worked in the UK but fell into criminal activity, prosecuted for fraud in 1961 before returning to Australia. In his later years, he gave interviews on the Dams Raid, earning commendation. He died in Hobart, Tasmania, on August 9, 1995.

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Sergeant

Unit:

No. 106 Squadron, Royal Air Force

Awarded on:

April 20th, 1943

Citation:
"As airgunner, Sergeant Burcher has completed an operational tour during which he has displayed great enthusiasm and keenness.

He has participated in attacks against German and Italian targets and mining sorites off France and in the Baltic. He has also flown as rear gunner in daylight raids on Danzig and Le Creusot.

In July 1942, when returning from Saarbrucken his aircraft was attcked by five enemy fighters. His excellent commentaries enabled the captain to evade two of them and his well directed fire drove off another and assisted in the destruction of the fifth.

Throughout his operational tour, he ahs displayed cheerfulness, courage and determination worthy of the highest praise."

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

• Photo 1: Dambustersblog.com
• - Dambusters
  - The London Gazette
  - Dambusters
  - https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/

Helaas geen map gevonden.

Crash Site Lancaster Mk III ED925

Ostönnen (Soest) - Nordrhein-Westfalen

Möhne Dam Möhnesee

Möhnesee - Nordrhein-Westfalen

RAF Scampton

Lincoln - Lincolnshire

Operation Chastise (Dambusters Raid)