LEST WE FORGET

Brigadier John Wilson CRAWFORD DSO ED MID (Twice)

Service No: NX378 (Australian Army)
Born: Sydney NSW, 8 July 1899
Enlisted in the Army: 18 March 1940
Unit: Headquarters 11th Infantry Brigade
Awarded the Mentioned in Despatched (MID) Twice
Awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO), 30 December 1941 (Citation Title: Army – Tobruk)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 5 Communication Unit Dragon aircraft A34-24), near Cairns QLD, 7 March 1943, Aged 43 Years
Buried: Cairns Cemetery QLD
CWGC Additional Information: Son of John and Emily Crawford; husband of Gladys Marjorie Lyndon Crawford, of Turramurra, New South Wales. B.A., LL.B. (Sydney).
Roll of Honour: Turramurra NSW
Remembered: Panel 12, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT

On 7 March 1943, Dragon A34-24 crashed while flying in Freshwater Valley, near Cairns. The primary cause of the accident was that the aircraft entered the valley at too low an altitude and was unable to climb over the surrounding mountains and consequently crashed into the side of a mountain while attempting to turn around. On board were:

Aircraftman Class 1 Ronald Henry Appleby (412876) (Flight Rigger): Injured, Discharged from the RAAF: 15 March 1946
Lieutenant Colonel Philip Heathcote George Cardale (NX483) Injured, Discharged from the Army: 7 April 1947
Brigadier John Wilson Crawford (NX378) (11 Infantry Brigade)
Sergeant Lindsay James Sutherland McColl (405796) (Pilot)
Lieutenant Arthur William Morris (NX145648) (11 Infantry Brigade)

References:

Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A9845, 211

Book Now Book Now