LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer John Stanley BRIGGS
Service No: 414755
Born: Brisbane QLD, 2 March 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 9 November 1941
Unit: No. 73 Operational Training Unit (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 73 Operational Training Unit Kittyhawk aircraft AL123), Egypt, 30 March 1944, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Moascar War Cemetery, Egypt
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Charles Kemp Briggs and Mary Briggs, of Belmont, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Brisbane QLD
Remembered: Panel 119, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 1000 hours on 30 March 1944, Kittyhawk AL123 from RAF Station Abu Sueir and crashed seven miles south of the aerodrome and Flying Officer Briggs was killed. The aircraft developed a glycol leak and dived steeply towards the ground. The pilot recovered from the dive from 3,500 feet and did so too harshly. The aircraft power stalled and struck the ground after completing the first spiral of a spin.
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, 166/6/462