LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Jack Paul HODGES
Service No: 413768
Born: Annandale NSW, 18 February 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 13 September 1941
Unit: No. 57 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station East Kirkby
Died: Air Operations: (No. 57 Squadron Lancaster aircraft JB486), France, 5 July 1944, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Poix-de-Picardie Churchyard, Somme, France
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Aden Victor and Mary Hodges, of Grafton, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Wagga Wagga NSW
Remembered: Panel 124, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Commonwealth Bank of Australia Honour Rolls, Sydney NSW
At 2324 hours on the night of 4 July 1944 Lancaster JB486 took off from East Kirkby detailed to destroy a flying bomb site at St-Leu-d’Esserent, France. 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 at 0200 hours near Cormeilles (Oise) approximately 8 kms west north west of Breteuil, France. All the crew members were killed.
The crew members of JB486 were:
Flight Lieutenant Anthony Edward Grubb (151259) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Flying Officer Jack Paul Hodges (413768) (Air Bomber)
Sergeant Harry Lees (2216226) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Sergeant Joseph Terence Nixon (1682465) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
Sergeant George Thomas Osborne (1210239) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator Air)
Sergeant Clifford Neil Stalker (1893122) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Pilot Officer James William Weyers (J/88677) (RCAF) (Navigator)
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, 166/18/401
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line