LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant John Osborne HARRIS
Service No: 434251
Born: Brisbane QLD, 10 September 1924
Enlisted in the RAAF: 6 November 1942
Unit: No. 101 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Ludford Magna
Died: Air Operations: (No. 101 Squadron Lancaster aircraft LM459), Netherlands, 28 May 1944, Aged 19 Years
Buried: Sommelsdijk General Cemetery, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Edwin Frank and Gwendoline Harris, of Ascot, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Brisbane QLD
Remembered: Panel 123, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Lancaster LM459 took off from Ludford Magna on the night of 27/28 May 1944 detailed to carryout special ABC (Air Borne Cigar – electronic jamming) duties in support of the raid on military camp installations at Bourg-Leopold. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take-off and it failed to return to base. The aircraft was shot down by a night fighter and crashed at Sommelsdijk in Zuid Holland on the island of Overflakkee and in the north west outskirts of Middleharnis and all the crew members were killed.
The crew members of LM459 were:
Pilot Officer Thomas Arthur Allen (170268) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Sergeant John Edward Benson (627862) (RAF) (Flight Engineer)
Sergeant Raymond John Evans (1386058) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Warrant Officer II Joseph Friedt (R/158288) (RCAF) (Navigator)
Flight Sergeant John Osborne Harris (434251) (Wireless Air Gunner) (Specialist Equipment Operator)
Flying Officer Reginald John Newens (152717) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Sergeant Kenneth John Power (1579586) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator Air)
Sergeant George Reid (3020819) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
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, 166/17/604