LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Jack Pierce HUTCHINSON DFC
Service No: 416501
Born: Hyde Park SA, 25 March 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 23 June 1941
Unit: No. 626 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Wickenby, Lincolnshire
Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), 15 February 1944 (Citation Title: No. 626 Squadron (RAF))
Died: Air Operations (No. 626 Squadron Lancaster aircraft LL797), France, 24 February 1944, Aged 23 Years
Buried: Marsal (Moselle) Churchyard, Moselle, France
CWGC Additional Information: Son of George Pierce Hutchinson and Ruby May Hutchinson, of Glenelg, South Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 124, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
DFC Citation: “Pilot Officer Hutchinson has attacked such important targets as Berlin, Milan, Peenemunde and Munich. While on the way to attack Munich, an engine caught fire and the aircraft had to be brought down onto the sea. As a result he and his crew had to spend some eighteen hours in the dinghy. On another mission, damage was sustained over Frankfurt and only by splendid airmanship did this officer succeed in flying the aircraft back to base. This officer’s determination, skill and endurance have set a fine example to his crew.” (London Gazette 15/2/1944, Page 794)
On the night of 24/25th February 1944, Lancaster LL797 took off from RAF Wickenby at 1810 hours, detailed to bomb Schweinfurt, Germany. This mission was the crew’s final sortie of their operational tour. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base.
The aircraft crashed at Marsal (Moselle), 10 kms south east of Chateau-Salins, and all the crew members were killed
The crew members of LL797 were:
Warrant Officer II Hector Frederick Binder (R/72273) (RCAF) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Sergeant Bryan Robert Bowditch (1322645) (RAFVR) (Second Pilot)
Sergeant Robert Edgeworth (1508681) (RAF) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Arthur Hodgson (1686419) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Pilot Officer Leonard Earl Goodkey (J/19575) (RCAF) (Navigator)
Flying Officer Jack Pierce Hutchinson DFC (416501) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Kenneth Joseph Macey (1320991) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
Flying Officer Peter Henry Wilson Young (135656) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
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 Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/18/173