Gordon A T Davies
Mercantile Rowing Club (VIC)
Gordon Atwood Tresgaskis Davies.
Gordon learnt his rowing at Scotch College and raced in the 1st VIII in 1935 in the seven seat. They finished third in the final when the regatta was still on the Yarra River. The crew was coached by noted Mercantile coach Arch Dobbie.
Gordon in the seven seat of the 1935 Scotch College crew
He joined Mercs in 1936-37 season. He won a maiden eight at the Barwon regatta in 1939 in the seven seat, and raced in the seven seat of the unsuccessful club junior eight at the Victorian Championships.
Gordon enlisted in the RAAF in August 1940 but only after some more racing for the Club in junior eights.
He became a pilot and specifically a flying officer in 460 squadron RAAF, which formed part of Bomber Command (service no. 400365).
The Squadron was formed on 15th November 1941, and commenced bombing operations on 12th March 1942, flying 538 Wellington sorties from Breighton, Yorkshire. It commenced conversion to four-engined bombers in October 1942 and re-commenced bombing, with Lancasters, in November 1942. It moved to Binbrook, Lincolnshire in May 1943, and operated from there until hostilities ceased.
Over 3000 aircrew were posted to the Squadron and of these, 990 were killed in action, a great number were wounded, and 220 were taken prisoner after being shot down, or were interned after being forced to crash-land their damaged aircraft in neutral territory.
Flying Lancasters over Europe in WWII was probably the riskiest job in that war. He successfully piloted 13 missions for H section and five operations for D section. Sadly, after all the risk he undertook, he died accidently as a result of a ground accident on 15th May 1945 and was buried in England at the Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey. It was 3 weeks after the cessation of the European conflict and whilst the squadron was flying food relief mission over The Netherlands.
It is difficult to appreciate what a courageous and worthy contribution was made by the aircrew of the 460 Squadron, and at what a grievous cost in lives and suffering.
Andrew Guerin
April 2025