LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant John Angus DOUGLAS
Service No: 420924
Born: Whitely Bay, England, 26 December 1912
Enlisted in the RAAF: 6 December 1941 (at Sydney NSW)
Unit: No. 29 Operational Training Unit (RAF), RAF Station North Luffenham
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 29 Operational Training Unit Wellington aircraft BK323), Lincolnshire, 12 May 1943, Aged 30 Years
Buried: North Luffenham (St John the Baptist) Parish Churchyard, Rutland
CWGC Additional Information: Son of John and Rubina Douglas; husband of Sarah Ann Douglas, of Thirroul, New South Wales Australia
Roll of Honour: Thirroul NSW
Remembered: Panel 121, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Woodward Memorial Park WWII Monument, Thirroul NSW
On 12 May 1943, Wellington BK323 took off from North Luffenham on non-operational day training carrying out circuits and bumps. The Pilot was on his first solo, had engine trouble and could not get back to the aerodrome. He reported engine trouble on the radio and was given permission to pancake. It was presumed that he immediately lowered the undercarriage, lost the aerodrome, and could not maintain height on the one engine and crashed. It was apparent that the starboard motor had seized in flight. All on board were killed in the crash.
The crew members of BK323 were:
Sergeant Frederick Thomas Allen (1338136) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Sergeant John Angus Douglas (420924) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant John Sidney Harris (1431077) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/10/58
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line