Love FR | 459 Squadron

Warrant Officer Frederick Raymond LOVE

459 RAAF Squadron

Service No. 413623

Date of Birth: 11 Dec 1920

Place of Birth: PAMBULA, NSW

Date of Enlistment: 12 Sep 1941

Missing In Action: 14 Jul 1944 (missing over target Rhodes Island Italy 1944)

Roll of Honour: BEGA NSW

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The Late W.O Frederick Raymond Love of Quaama via Bega, South Coast, New South Wales, Australia. Joined the RAAF at 19 years of age, finished training in England where he became very sick with a bad cough etc. He put in for a warmer climate and was sent to Egypt and near Rhodes Island.

After many raids he went missing over the target, a direct hit, his crew was the only plane not to return out of twenty stated one of the best, sadly missed, having been on many raids by his log book.

Missing Crew 30-31 May 1944

P/Off I.M. Yeates, RAAF

WO J.E. Snaddon, RAAF

WO L.R. Abrahams, RAAF

WO F.R. Love, RAAF (aged 23)

Aircraft:

Ventura MkV JS 960 'R'

They filled up with petrol, 8.00 pm 13/7/1944, hit about 1.00 am.

L to R -- W. O. Fred Love, John Snaddon, Leo Abrahams. all missing 14/7/44,

Not in photo is missing Pilot Ian Yeates

Missing Crew - W. Officers - Leo Abrahams - Jack Snaddon - Ian Yeates and Fred Love (aged 23)

They went missing off Rhodes Island - Italy 1944

Enlisted: 12 September 1941 for the duration of the war and 12 months thereafter.

Musterings:

Aircrew V 12 September 1941

Aircrew V (G) 04 December 1941

Aircrew II (G) 25 June 1942

Wireless Air Gunner 23 July 1942

WAG 11 March 1944

Promotions:

Aircraftman 2 12 September 1941

Leading Aircraftman 06 December 1941

Sergeant 23 July 1942

Flight Sergeant 23 January 1943

Warrant Officer 23 January 1944

Postings:

2 Recruit Centre Sydney 12-09-1941

2 Initial Training Schooll Bradfield Park 12-09-1941

2 Wireless & Gunnery School Parkes 10-12-1941

2 Bomb & Gunnery School Port Pirie 29-06-1942

2 Embarkation Depot Bradfield Park 24-07-1942

Embarked Sydney 17-10-1942

Disembarked United Kingdom 16-12-1942

3 Personnel Reception Centre Bournemouth 16-12-1942

10 (Observer) Adv Flying Unit Dumfries 11-01-1943

11 Radio School Hooton Park 03-03-1943

RAF Station Bridgenorth 14-04-1943

5 Personnel Despatch Centre Blackpool 04-05-1943

Embarked United Kingdom 18-05-1943

Disembarked Egypt 01-09-1943

1 (ME) Aircrew Reception Centre Egypt 01-09-1943

RAF Station Gianaclis 25-09-1943

459 Squadron Alexandria 05-01-1944

Attachments:

1 Air Observer School Cootamundra 07-8-1942-18-08-1942

Death officially presumed 14 July 1944, lost at sea.

On the night of 14 July 1944 at approximately 2000 hours, Ventura JT 336 took off from Nicosia Aerodrome, Cyprus on a bombing mission to Calatao Aerodrome, Rhodes.

Honours & Awards:

1939-1945 - Star

Italy Star

Defence Medal

War Medal 1939-45

Australian Service Medal 1939-45

Additional Information:

Son of John Theodroe and Phoebe Harriet Love, of Quaama, NSW, Australia.