LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer John Malcolm FORSYTH
Service No: 401935
Born: Burnside SA, 30 March 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: Date unavailable
Unit: No. 9 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 9 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit Beaufighter aircraft JL544), Wales, 3 February 1943, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Pwllheli Borough Cemetery, Caernarvonshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Thomas Brown Forsyth and Patience Forsyth, of Cavendish, Victoria, Australia. Dip. Agr.
Roll of Honour: Hamilton VIC
Remembered: Panel 122, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Brother of Flying Officer Thomas Jeffrey Forsyth (401430)
At 1830 hours on 3 February 1943, Beaufighter JL544 took off on a night navigational exercise and crashed at approximately 2001 hours, two miles north north west of Aberdaron, Caernarvonshire, Wales. The crew of two was killed. From the aerodrome it appeared that the Pilot came down low at the turning point in order to confirm the aircraft’s position, and, flying too low struck the ground which was 300 feet above sea level. A height of 3,000 feet was to be maintained on the exercise.
The crew members of JL544 were:
Pilot Officer Clifford Robertson Black (130309) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Flying Officer John Malcolm Forsyth (401935) (Pilot)
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, 166/14/10