LEST WE FORGET
Lieutenant John Riggall BLAIR
Service No: 2577A
Born: Rockhampton QLD, 21 January 1892
Enlisted in the Army: 23 July 1915
Unit: No. 3 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps
Died: Air Operations, France, 26 January 1918, Aged 26 Years
Buried: Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension (Nord), Lille, Nord Pas de Calais, France
CWGC Additional Information: Son of John and Elizabeth Blair, of Ardgryffe Street, Enfield, Sydney, New South Wales. Native of Rockhampton, Queensland
Place of Association: Rockhampton QLD
Remembered: Panel 188, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
The enemy’s anti-aircraft action also increased in volume with his efforts to prevent observation of his plans Lieutenants C. Donahay and J. R. Blair had their machine (1) badly damaged by anti-aircraft fire on January 26th and crashed fatally at Dranoutre on their way home.
(1) RE8 aircraft B2259
Extract from Cutlack, F.M. (Frederic Morley) The Australian Flying Corps in the Western and Eastern Theatres of War 1914-8, Angus and Robertson Ltd Sydney, 1941 – Page 209
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record B2455, BLAIR J R
National Archives UK RAF Casualty Book AIR 1/968 page 481, 24788
Bibliography:
Muller, P. (Peter) and Hutchinson, J. (John) Secrets Revealed: a brief history of No. 3 Squadron RAAF, Lutheran Publishing House Adelaide SA 5000, 1991
Wrigley, H.N. (Henry Neilsen) (6) The Battle Below: Being the history of No. 3 Squadron AFC, Errol G. Knox Sydney NSW, 1935