NEEDHAM, George Francis Jack
| Service Number: | 27571 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 27 January 1916, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Second Class Air Mechanic |
| Last Unit: | Australian Flying Corps (AFC) |
| Born: | Burra, South Australia, 14 May 1889 |
| Home Town: | Adelaide, South Australia |
| Schooling: | St Peter's College, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Accountant (Adelaide Union Bank) |
| Died: | Aeroplane Accident, Leighterton, England, United Kingdom, 23 April 1918, aged 28 years |
| Cemetery: |
Leighterton Church Cemetery, Gloucestershire, England War Grave with Private Memorial - Inscription: There is no death, |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Adelaide St John's Anglican Church Memorial Tablet, Adelaide University of Adelaide WW1 Honour Roll, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Hackney St Peter's College Fallen Honour Board, Sydney Reserve Bank of Australia (Commonwealth Bank) Honor Roll WW1, Unley Arch of Remembrance, Unley Town Hall WW1 Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 27 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 27571, Adelaide, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Oct 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Gunner, 27571, 14th Field Artillery Brigade , Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '4' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Borda embarkation_ship_number: A30 public_note: '' | |
| 20 Oct 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Gunner, 27571, 14th Field Artillery Brigade , HMAT Borda, Melbourne | |
| 23 Apr 1918: | Involvement Second Class Air Mechanic, 27571, Australian Flying Corps (AFC), --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 27571 awm_unit: Australian Flying Corps awm_rank: Air Mechanic Class II awm_died_date: 1918-04-23 |
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Son of Richard John Needham (d. 1911) and Emma Plumb Needham (nee Leach d. 1916)
From the book Fallen Saints by Robert S Kearney
George Francis Jack Needham was born at Burra, South Australia and later with his brother, Charles attended St Peter's College. After leaving school, he was employed as an accountant with the Union Bank of Australia in Adelaide and served four months in the Engineer Corps at Broken Hill.
He enlisted in Adelaide on 27 January 1916 but was transferred to Maribyrnong Victoria where he joined the 6th quota of reinforcements for 14th Field Artillery Brigade; he sailed from Melbourne aboard HMAT Borda on 20 October.
He disembarked at Plymouth on 1 January and at the end of the month was admitted to 2 Auxiliary Hospital, Southall England suffering with Influenza but was discharged fit for duty on 2 February and marched out to No 3 Camp, Lark Hill.
His accountancy skills were not wasted and on 13 February 1917, he was attached to Administrative HQ, London for duty with the Commonwealth Bank at Depots within the U.K. He was attached to the Australian Flying Corps on 30 September and on 4 October was appointed a cadet and marched in to the flying school at Reading the following day.
In January 1918, he was transferred to the 5th Training Squadron at Shawbury for elementary aviation training and then marched in to 25th Wing Headquarters for higher level training on 25 March; he was posted to 7th Training Squadron.
At 10.30 a.m., on 23 April 1918 while flying solo during a training flight at Leighterton Aerodrome, Gloucestershire, his aircraft went into a spin at 2,000 feet. He attempted to wrestle the machine out of the spin but with the right upper rear main spar broken away and with part of the wing missing the plane slammed into the ground.
According to statements made at the Inquiry by the first on the scene Sergeant Ridgwell and the Medical Officer, 27571 Air Mechanic Class II, George Francis Jack Needham, Australian Flying Corps was killed on impact; he was 28 years of age. [i]
George’s brother, Gunner Charles Needham (OS) was killed in action on 4 October 1917.
[i] National Archives of Australia: B 2455, Needham George Francis Jack / 7994575, viewed 3 January 2006
Biography contributed by Cathy Sedgwick
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick (OAM) – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland”
George Francis Jack Needham was born at Burra, South Australia on 14th May, 1889 to parents Richard John & Emma Plumb Needham (nee Leach).
Richard John Needham, father of George Francis Jack Needham, died on 17th August, 1911 at Parkside, South Australia.
On 27th January, 1916 George Francis Jack Needham enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) as a 26 year old, single, Bank Accountant from 13 George Street, Parkside, Adelaide, South Australia.
He was posted to “B” Company, 2nd Depot Battalion on 27th January, 1916 for recruit training. Private Needham was appointed Provisional Corporal on 16th February, 1916 while posted with 17th Reinforcements of 10th Battalion. Provisional Corporal Needham was transferred to N.C.O. School, 4th Military District, Mitcham from 1st April, 1916. He was transferred to 13th Reinforcements of 27th Battalion on 16th May, 1916 & appointed Provisional Sergeant. On 1st June, 1916 he was transferred to Field Artillery with the rank of Gunner. Gunner Needham was transferred to Field Artillery Reinforcements at Maribyrnong from 22nd August, 1916 then transferred to Field Artillery Brigade, 6th Reinforcements from 19th September, 1916.
Emma Plumb Needham, mother of George Francis Jack Needham, died on 6th June, 1916 at Parkside, South Australia.
Gunner George Francis Jack Needham, Service number 27571, embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on HMAT Borda (A30) on 20th October, 1916 with the 14th Field Artillery Brigade, 6th Reinforcements & disembarked at Plymouth, England on 9th January, 1917.
Reinforcements were only given basic training in Australia. Training was completed in training units in England. Some of these were located in the Salisbury Plain & surrounding areas in the county of Wiltshire.
On 31st January, 1917 Gunner Needham was admitted to 2nd Auxiliary Hospital at Southall, England with Influenza. He was discharged to duty at Parkhouse, Wiltshire on 5th February, 1917.
He was marched out to Camp 21 at Larkhill, Wiltshire on 2nd February, 1917*. He was marched in to R.B.A.A. (Reserve Brigade Australian Artillery) at Larkhill, Wiltshire on 4th February, 1917*. (*Dates as listed on Casualty Form – Active Service).
Gunner Needham was sent sick to Southall Hospital on 6th February, 1917 (whilst on Leave) from R.B.A.A. at Larkhill. He was discharged on 8th February, 1917.
From 13th February, 1917 Gunner Needham was attached to Administrative Headquarters ex 14th F.A.B. (Field Artillery Brigade) “for duty with Commonwealth Bank”. He was detached from attached duty with Commonwealth Bank on 30th September, 1917 & was marched out to A.F.C.
He was marched in to A.F.C. (Australian Flying Corps) Details at Halton Camp, Wendover, England on 5th October, 1917. Gunner Needham was marched out to S.M.A. (School of Military Aeronautics) at Reading on 5th October, 1917 & was taken on strength as 2nd Air Mechanic on the same day & appointed Cadet (one record on Casualty Form – Active Service stated he joined No. 1 S. M.A. at Reading on 4th October, 1917).
2nd Air Mechanic (Cadet) Needham was marched in to A.F.C. Details on 16th January, 1918 from Reading. He was marched out from A.F.C. Details on 22nd January, 1918 to No. 5 Training Squadron. He was attached for elementary instruction in aviation at No. 5 Training Squadron at Shawbury on 23rd January, 1918.
On 21st March, 1918 Cadet Needham was marched out to No. 25 Wing Headquarters at Castle Bromwich. He was attached to Headquarters 1st Wing for higher instruction & posted to No. 7 Training Squadron. 2nd Air Mechanic Needham was marched in to No. 7 Training Squadron on 25th March, 1918 from No. 54 Training Squadron.
Cadet / 2nd Air Mechanic George Francis Jack Needham was flying solo in B.E.2. E. B.6176 practising turns out of Leighterton Aerodrome at 10.10 am on 23rd April, 1918.
Cadet / 2nd Air Mechanic George Francis Jack Needham was reported killed in an aeroplane accident at 10.30 am on 23rd April, 1918 at Tetbury, Gloucester, England.
A Court of Enquiry was assembled at Leighterton Aerodrome on 23rd & 24th of April, 1918, by order of Major W. H. Anderson, Commanding, Leighterton Station, A.F.C., "for the purpose of inquiring into the circumstances connected with accident on 23.4.18 at Leighterton, involving fatal injuries to No. 2757 Cadet Needham, G.F.L. A.F.C.”
The Court find that the accident was due to excessive strain caused by forcing the machine out of a spin causing the right upper rear main spar to break in the air.
He was buried in Leighterton Church Cemetery, Leighterton, Gloucestershire, England – Grave No. 4. He has a Private Headstone, however his death is still acknowledged by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/leighterton.html
Click images to start slideshow.