LEST WE FORGET
Leading Aircraftman John William GLEW
Service No: 418099
Born: Camberwell VIC, 27 May 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 25 April 1942
Unit: No. 8 Service Flying Training School, Bundaberg QLD
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 8 Service Flying Training School Anson aircraft DJ228), near Bundaberg, 25 February 1943, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Bundaberg General Cemetery QLD
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Conrad Le Gassick Glew and Alice May Glew, of Camberwell, Victoria
Roll of Honour: Camberwell VIC
Remembered: Panel 115, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Brother of Flying Officer Wallis Conrad Glew (410973)
At 1945 hours on 25 February 1943, Anson DJ228 took off on a night training exercise. The two trainee Pilots on board were instructed to change duties as Pilot and Observer. The aircraft climbed to 3,500 feet, the weather was good, the night dark and moonless with broken cloud. The exercise was carried out satisfactorily and at 2050 hours, when a message was received from the aircraft stating the occupants were about to change over.
At about this time the weather deteriorated over portion of the training area with some cloud at the lower level. This cleared within 15 minutes and good conditions prevailed. Shortly after the above signal, the aircraft was observed entering cloud after which it was not seen again from the aerodrome. At 2105 hours a report was received that the aircraft had crashed some miles north of Bundaberg. The aircraft had crashed in a cane field on the property of Mr E Green (Meadowvald), and both the Trainee Pilots had been killed. Both were on No. 27 Pilot Course and two weeks from completing their SFTS training.
The crew members of DJ228 were:
Leading Aircraftman James Scott Cavill (425600) (Trainee Pilot)
Leading Aircraftman John William Glew (418099) (Trainee 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, 166/15/21; A9845, 64