HECK, James William
| Service Numbers: | V52636, 409114 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 15 August 1940 |
| Last Rank: | Flying Officer |
| Last Unit: | Royal Australian Air Force |
| Born: | Fairfield, Victoria, Australia, 11 March 1917 |
| Home Town: | Ivanhoe, Banyule, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Clerk |
| Died: | Accidental, Scotland, Scotland, United Kingdom, 10 December 1942, aged 25 years |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, International Bomber Command Centre Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 15 Aug 1940: | Enlisted Australian Army (Post WW2), Gunner, V52636, 2nd Survey Regiment |
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World War 2 Service
| 15 Aug 1940: | Enlisted Australian Army (Post WW2), Gunner, V52636, 2nd Survey Regiment, RAA | |
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| 15 Aug 1940: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, V52636, 2nd Survey Regiment | |
| 18 Jul 1941: | Discharged Australian Army (Post WW2), Gunner, V52636, 2nd Survey Regiment, RAA | |
| 19 Jul 1941: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, 409114, attached to Bomber Command, 20 Operational Training Unit, RAF | |
| 19 Jul 1941: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 409114 | |
| 10 Dec 1942: | Involvement Flying Officer, 409114, Royal Australian Air Force |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Chris Buckley
James was the eldest of two children of Oswald Clarence Heck (born 1891 at Stawell in the Wimmera Region of Victoria) and Maggie Davidson Sangster (born 1892 at Cashel in Victoria). Oswald and Maggie married in Melbourne in 1916, where Oswald was a Salesman. In the mid 1920s the family moved to Ivanhoe in the Flinders Region of Victoria.
James was a Clerk at Ivanhoe when he enlisted in the Army in August 1940, and served with 2 Survey Regiment RAA as a Gunner (Service No:V52636) until 18 July 1941. James then enlisted with the RAAF on 19 July 1941 and served as a Flying Officer (Service No:409114). James embarked on 11 May 1942, and was attached to RAF Bomber Command 20 Operational Training Unit. He was piloting Wellington IC L7867 on a training flight on 10 December 1942 when at 15.00 hours they ran into blizzard conditions and crashed at Geal-Charm, Ben Alder (30 miles north of Fort William). There was one survivor from the 8 man crew. James is buried at Lossiemouth Burial Ground at Drainee in Morayshire, Scotland (Grave No:974)