LEST WE FORGET
Leading Aircraftman John Robert DOWER
Service No: 428625
Born: Brighton VIC, 17 February 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 2 December 1942
Unit: No. 11 Elementary Flying Training School, Benalla VIC
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 11 Elementary Flying Training School Tiger Moth aircraft A17-96), Benalla, 15 June 1943, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Benalla War Cemetery, Victoria
CWGC Additional Information: Son of John A. Dower and Ida Dower, of East Malvern
Roll of Honour: Melbourne VIC
Remembered: Panel 115, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 15 June 1943, Tiger Moth A17-96 collided on take-off with A17-537 approximately 60 feet in the air and Leading Aircraftman Dower was killed when A17-96 stalled, nose-dived, crashed and burned on impact.
The pilots were:
Leading Aircraftman John Robert Dower (428625) (Trainee Pilot A17-96)
Leading Aircraftman Alexander Gardiner (429795) (Trainee Pilot A17-537) Seriously injured, Discharged from the RAAF: 4 October 1944
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, 166/10/80; A9845, 87