LEST WE FORGET

Flying Officer Adrian John BLACKBURN

Service No: 403210
Born: Sydney NSW, 8 October 1915
Enlisted in the RAAF: 4 January 1941
Unit: No. 450 Squadron
Died: Air Operations (No. 450 Squadron Kittyhawk aircraft FD729), El Assa, Tunisia, 26 March 1943, Aged 27 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Michael Adrian and Jessie Louise Blackburn; husband of Pattie Edith May Blackburn, of Manly, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Manly NSW
Remembered: Panel 11, Column 1, Malta Memorial, Malta
Remembered: Panel 105, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Manly ANZAC War Memorial, Manly NSW
Remembered: Knox Grammar School Old Boys’ War Memorial, Wahroonga NSW

On 26 March 1943, Kittyhawk FD729 flown by Flying Officer Blackburn detailed to carry out a bombing and strafing operation, at Pijida, Tunisia, and was last seen to pull away from the formation shortly after take-off, when at a height of 400/500 feet and then turn back towards the aerodrome. The aircraft appeared to be carrying out a forced landing with a dead motor. Carrying 2 x 2501b bombs, the aircraft stalled and flicked in with the aircraft catching fire as the bombs exploded.

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, 166/5/97
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line

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