LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer John Douglas BLACKSHAW
Service No: 432095
Born: Penshurst NSW, 25 October 1924
Enlisted in the RAAF: 5 December 1942
Unit: No. 455 Squadron, RAF Station Dallachy
Died: Air Operations (No. 455 Squadron Beaufighter aircraft NV196), off the Norwegian Coast, 9 February 1945, Aged 20 Years
Buried: Haugesund (Rossebo) Var Frelsers Cemetery, Norway
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Alfred Leslie and Alice Stewart Blackshaw, of Penhurst, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Hurstville NSW
Remembered: Panel 106, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Hurstville War Memorial, Hurstville NSW
Beaufighter NV196 took off from Dallachy at 1346 hours on 9 February 1945 to carry out an anti-shipping patrol over Sandoy-Bremanger. Eleven aircraft from the Squadron took part in the sortie and two of these including NV196 failed to return. The No. 455 Squadron aircraft were accompanied by 11 Rocket-equipped Beaufighters (No. 404 Squadron (RCAF)), 8 anti-flak Beaufighters and 2 outriders (No. 144 Squadron (RAF)), escorted by 12 Mustangs (No. 65 Squadron (RAF)) and 2 Air Sea Rescue Warwick aircraft (No. 279 Squadron (RAF)).
The crew members of NV196 were:
Pilot Officer John Douglas Blackshaw (432095) (Navigator Wireless)
Warrant Officer Donald Ernest Mutimer (410694) (Pilot)
No. 455 Squadron lost Beaufighter NV199 (Flight Lieutenant Robert Charles McColl DFC (413227) (Pilot)) on 9 February 1945.
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, 166/5/949
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line
Bibliography:
Gordon, I. (Ian) Strike and Strike Again: 455 Squadron 1944-5, Banner Books Belconnen ACT 2616, 1995
Lawson, John Horwood Wightman (251634) The Story of No. 455 Squadron (RAAF), Wilke and Company, Melbourne VIC, 1951