RUSSELL, Ian Bedford Nesbitt
| Service Number: | 37869 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Flying Officer |
| Last Unit: | Not yet discovered |
| Born: | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 22 May 1911 |
| Home Town: | Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Ivanhoe Grammar School |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Died: | Plane shot down, Dunkerque, France, 1 June 1940, aged 29 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Runnymede Memorial Englefield Green, Runnymede Borough, Surrey, England Panel 6. |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll |
World War 2 Service
| 1 Jun 1940: | Involvement Flying Officer, 37869, No. 609 Squadron, RAF | |
|---|---|---|
| Date unknown: | Honoured Distinguished Flying Cross |
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Flying Officer Ian Nesbitt Bedford Russell (37869) entered the RAF as a Pupil Pilot and was commissioned as an A/Pilot on 18 May 1936. Following completion of training he was posted to Fighter Command in 1937 and promoted to Flying Officer in January 1939. On 1 June 1940, Flying Officer Russell was attached to 609 Squadron when he was shot down over Dunqerque, France. Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in June 1941, it was announced that Flying Officer Russell had shot down ten enemy aircraft and helped destroy another six. In May 1941 he helped save the life of another pilot by guiding a trawler to the downed aircraft in the sea.
Hack was born in Melbourne, Victoria in 1911 - one of three children of Francis (Frank) Arthur Russell (b1882 in Bendigo, Victoria) and Phyllis Mary Nesbitt (b1888 in Kyneton, Victoria). Frank and Phyllis married in 1909 in Melbourne, Victoria - Frank worked as Assistant Headmaster at Kyneton Grammar School, a Barrister, Author and Actor and Journalist. Frank died suddenly in London in 1934 and Phyllis had been killed in 1930 in Melbourne, Victoria when she was knocked down by a truck.
Hack was educated at Ivanhoe Grammar School and accompanied his father to London, where in 1933 Hack was briefly engaged. In 1935 Hack was awarded his Aviator's Certificate from the Philips and Powell School of Flying in Reading (Miles 'Hawk' Cirrus 3. 90) and in 1936 was commissioned in the RAF.
Every Anzac Day, Hack is remembered as one of seventy one 'old boys' from Ivanhoe Grammar School who did not return from WWII.
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