LEST WE FORGET
Flight Lieutenant John Edward GODDARD DFC
Service No: 420658
Born: Heswell, England, 19 December 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 9 November 1941 (at Sydney NSW)
Unit: No. 582 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Little Staughton
Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), 18 September 1945
Died: Air Operations: (No. 582 Squadron Lancaster aircraft PNB123), France, 8 September 1944, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Bertrand Decimus Goddard and Olive Lilian Kate Goddard, of Brookvale, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 256, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey UK
Remembered: Panel 122, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
DFC Citation: “As Captain of the aircraft, Flight Lieutenant Goddard has completed numerous operations against the enemy in the course of which he has invariably displayed the utmost fortitude, courage and devotion to duty.” (London Gazette 18 September 1945 page 4643)
At 0630 hours on 8 September 1944 Lancaster PB123 took off from Little Staunton for air operations against an enemy target at Le Havre, France. The aircraft failed to return to Base. The aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire and six of the crew members were killed and two baled out and evaded capture.
The crew members of PB123 were:
Flight Lieutenant Howard Warburton Baker (151315) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Flight Sergeant Jack Beecroft (1438194) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Pilot Officer William Neville Daniel (423996) (Bomb Aimer)
Flight Lieutenant A G De Beer (131590) (RAFVR) (Bomb Aimer) PoW, Released
Flight Lieutenant John Edward Goddard DFC (420658) (Pilot)
Warrant Officer George Edwards Lythgoe (964480) (RAF) (Wireless Operator)
Pilot Officer G Mackenzie DFC (54660) (RAF) (Flight Engineer) PoW, Released
Flying Officer Robert Alexander Newton (155991) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
Pilot Officer Mackenzie reported: “At 7.15am on 8 September 1944, the plane came in over Le Havre under the cloud with a base of 5,000 feet. The Germans opened up with flak hitting us – I was sitting at the side of Johnny (Goddard) in the second pilot’s seat, when there was a crash – the inter-com went dead and fire broke out around the wireless operator. There was a second bang right after the first and the whole front cabin filled with smoke and fire. Johnny shouted for full power and then shouted “jump Mac”. I got down and went back to the navigator’s cabin which was full of smoke, and dragged my chute out, then Neville’s, and then shouted into the smoke that we had to get out. A voice shouted OK. I turned back to the front escape hatch with two figures behind me, which might have been Neville and Howard. When I reached the hatch, it was open and Alan De Beer was just jumping. I went straight out over his heels. After my chute opened I could see the plane with all of the fuselage on fire flying on, until it disappeared into cloud. I looked below and saw another chute, Alan De Beer. After coming down some distance, I heard a crash which I assumed was the plane hitting the ground, but could not see any more chutes.
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, 166/16/425
Bibliography:
Feast, Sean Master Bombers: the experiences of a Pathfinder Squadron at war, 1944-1945, Grub Street, London, 2008