Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

The sixth of seven children, John was born in 1921 in Moulmain, Burma to James Horatio Utting (b1880 in Yorkshire England) and Elna Haswell (b1886 in Myanmar). James (a Master Mariner and River Pilot) and Elna married in 1908 in Rangoon, Burma and lived in Myanmar until 1936 when they arrived in Fremantle WA on board the Narkunda with their seven children. The family settled in Cottesloe WA and John and his six sons all served in WWII - Richard and Philip were KiA.

John had studied at Christ Church Grammar School before enrolling at the University of Western Australia - his interests were swimming, hockey, tennis and boxing. He was in his second year of Engineering studies when he enlisted in the Militia (44th Battalion) and was Discharged to enlist in the RAAF on 17 March 1941. John served initially as an Aircraftman, rising through the ranks to be appointed a Pilot Sergeant on 22 October 1942 and by 1944 was a Warrant Officer. 'John piloted a Beaufort Bomber in seventy seven sorties over New Guinea and the Pacific thwarting the Japanese advance on Australia' (Christ Church Grammar School). John was a Warrant Officer attached to 11 Communications Unit when he Discharged in November 1945.

Following his Discharge, John returned to his studies and lived in Fremantle WA, becoming an Engineer in the early 1950s. In the early 1960s John married Danuta Diane, a Lituanian immigrant who spent time in a displaced persons' camp in Europe before coming to Australia. By 1963 John and Danuta were living in Khancoban in the Snowy Valley NSW where John was an Engineer on the Snowy River Scheme. In 1969 John and Danuta moved with their family to Brisbane QLD before returning to Fremantle WA by 1972.

In 2010 John was awarded an Order of Australia 'for service to the community of Cottesloe through local government, sporting and service organisations' (Wikepedia - 2010 Australia Day Honours). John died in November 2014 and at his internement at Karrakatta Cemetery four PC9s from RAAF Pearce FT22 'roared overhead at only 200 feet in Missing Man Formation while an Army bugler played the Last Post' (Christ Church Grammar School)