ANDERSON, John Colin William
| Service Number: | 424011 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 21 July 1942 |
| Last Rank: | Flight Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | No. 200 Flight (RAAF) |
| Born: | Nowra, New South Wales, Australia, 18 March 1918 |
| Home Town: | Bellawongarah, Shoalhaven Shire, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Cambewarra Public and Nowra Intermediate High Schools, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Accidental, Borneo, 21 May 1945, aged 27 years |
| Cemetery: |
Labuan War Cemetery Burial reference: - Plot C. Row B. Grave 5. Personal Inscription: - "HIS DUTY FEARLESSLY AND NOBLY DONE EVER REMEMBERED". |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Berry War Memorial |
World War 2 Service
| 3 Sep 1939: | Involvement Flight Sergeant, 424011 | |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Jul 1942: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Aircraftman 2 (WW2), 424011, No 2 Recruiting Centre, Sydney, NSW | |
| 21 Jul 1942: | Enlisted Sydney | |
| 21 Jul 1942: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Sergeant, 424011 | |
| 17 Aug 1944: | Promoted Royal Australian Air Force, Sergeant, Air Gunner | |
| 17 Feb 1945: | Promoted Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Sergeant | |
| 24 Mar 1945: | Transferred Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Sergeant, No. 201 Flight (RAAF) | |
| 10 Apr 1945: | Transferred Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Sergeant, No. 200 Flight (RAAF), accidently killed during air ops 41 days after joining flight | |
| 21 May 1945: | Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Sergeant, 424011, No. 200 Flight (RAAF), Air War SW Pacific 1941-45 |
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Plane was Liberator BH24 A72 177 200 Flight
Son of Albert Henry and Hebe Hannah Anderson; husband of Winifred Marjorie Anderson, of Berry, New South Wales, Australia.
Biography contributed by Karen Standen
On 21 May 1945, Flight Sergeant John C. W. Anderson was one of eleven crew and three Z Special Force personnel on board the B24 Liberator A72-177 operated by RAAF No. 200 Flight.
"...the crew of [the] Liberator aircraft [were] engaged in dropping supplies in enemy occupied territory in British North Borneo in co-operation with the Australian Military Forces.
The aircraft made five circuits at low altitude [less than 300 feet] over the target area and the supplies were dropped successfully.
After the completion of the fifth circuit the aircraft struck the top of a tall tree and crashed. In the opinion of an eye-witness all the occupants were killed instantly.
The accident took place two miles west of Melabong village...All occupants were buried at the scene of the crash and the graves clearly marked with crosses."
NAA: A705, 166/16/664 p11 of 41
The aircraft was ablaze for a day or more after the crash and was "too hot and too many rounds going off" to approach. All the men were initially buried at the scene of the crash until after the war when they were relocated to the Labuan War Cemetery in Malaysia.
NAA: A9845, 72 p29-33 of 72
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