Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Kenneth James was the son of Albert and Annie James (nee Sharp). Ken as he was known, was born in 1919. Bendigo in Victoria was his birth place. His Victorian BDM Registration Record is attached.

Ken was in his first year of his Dental Degree at Melbourne University when he volunteered for the RAAF. It was mid 1941. He felt it was his duty to serve.

Hence he put his dental career ambition on hold to serve his King and Country.

Ken was selected for RAAF Aircrew. He subsequently made the initial aptitude sorting cut for Pilot Training. However, Ken was sent overseas to Rhodesia for his Pilot training.

He graduated with his RAAF wings in Rhodesia under the Empire Air Training Scheme.

This scheme was designed to feed trained Aircrew from outposts of the Empire directly into the RAF. Initial training could not be concentrated in the U.K. This was due to poor weather conditions plus ever present enemy action.

Hence Elementary Flying Schools and Service Aircraft Flight training was decentralized throught out the Empire. Operational Training was conducted in the U.K. This welded aircrew fledglings from Empire Training Schools into effective combat crews.

Trained crews were then posted to the various RAF Commands. 

Ken was streamed for RAF Bomber Command. Hence he was sent to the U.K. for his Operational training. He completed his four engine conversion to qualify as an Avro Lancaster Pilot.

He was posted to No. 460 Sqn. RAAF. Ken must have been particuarily proud to report for duty in that famous RAAF Squadron. He reported to No. 460 Sqn  C.O. on 13 April 1943. The then C.O. was W/C Martin DSO DFC.  

Ken was the new boy. Hence he inherited W4330 as his ship. W4330 was an older Avro model. It was a Mk I Lancaster. This Lancaster had completed 16 missions as per ADF Lancaster serials site.

Ken was now her Captain. This was his mount. It was his war horse.   

The following week, while returning from Stettin, located deep inside the Third Reich. W4330, Ken's ship was attacked by a Night Fighter. He was at low level in an attempt to avoid enemy radar detection. 

He was homeward bound, traversing Danish airspace on 21 April 2025 during that fatal night time attack. Ken would have taken evasive action and cork screwed W4330, as he was trained to do. That did not help.

The attacking Ju 88 Night Fighter had latched onto Ken, delivering continous fire at Lancaster W4330.

W4330 was flaming when it crashed according to witnesses in Oz at War link. RAAF Avro Lancaster W4330, Ken's ship was intercepted and shot down near Vestbirk in Denmark.

There were no survivors.

Five W4330 KIA crew were RAAF while two W4330 KIA crewmates were RAF.

The Luffwaffe identified, then buried Ken's crew in Denmark's Esbjerk (Fourfelt) Cemetery, as per attached burial service photo. 

The Danish people dedicated a crashsite memorial on 21 April 1951, as per attached. That date being the anniversary of that fateful 1943 Night Fighter attack.  

F/SGT Ken James was 23 years old when he was K.I.A.

His brothers were serving in New Guinea at the time of his death as per his AWM Roll of Honour and Circular.

Ken's status as a Dental student would have exempted him from overseas service but he would not have that.

He did his duty. 

Lest We Forget.