LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant John William HAMILTON
Service No: 25661
Born: Murrundi NSW, 1 June 1915
Enlisted in the RAAF: 29 April 1941
Unit: No. 1667 Conversion Unit (RAF), RAF Station Sandtoft
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 1667 Conversion Unit Lancaster aircraft PB565), Lincolnshire, 15 April 1945, Aged 29 Years
Buried: Harrogate (Stonefall) Cemetery, Yorkshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of James and Ellen Mary Teresa Hamilton, of Erskineville, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Sydney NSW
Remembered: Panel 123, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 1455 hours on 15 April 1945, Lancaster PB565 took off from Sandtoft on a non-operational day cross country and bombing practice flight. Thirty minutes later the aircraft was sighted flying at 3,000 feet, when it suddenly nosed over, and as the angle of dive increased, it broke up before impacting near Oveton Ferry, six miles south west of Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire. All eight on board were killed.
The crew members of PB565 were:
Flying Officer Edward Boon Carss (165049) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Sergeant Robert Bertram Roy Cook (1893896) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
Flight Sergeant John William Hamilton (25661) (Wireless Operator Air)
Sergeant Sidney James Kingdon (1097768) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Sergeant Edwin Horace John Martin (1813197) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Raymond Ollerton (1523074) (RAFVR) (Second Pilot)
Flying Officer Bertram Arthur Savage (153755) (RAFVR) (Instructor Navigator)
Pilot Officer Howard Percy Speed (188176) (RAFVR) (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, 166/17/1142