LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer James Malcolmson JOHNSTON
Service No: 427098
Born: South Perth WA, 21 December 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 20 May 1942
Unit: No. 227 Squadron (RAF), RAF Balderton, Nottinghamshire
Died: Air Operations: (No. 227 Squadron Lancaster aircraft NG170), Germany, 4 March 1945, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
CWGC Additional Information: Son of James Rafferty Johnston and Emily Smart Johnston, of Victoria Park, Western Australia.
Roll of Honour: Victoria Park WA
Remembered: Panel 124, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Cenotaph Undercroft, State War Memorial, Kings Park WA
Lancaster NG170 took off from RAF Balderton at 1852 hours on the night of 3 March 1945, detailed to bomb Ladbergen. 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 on 4 March 1945 at Altenburg. Four of the crew were killed and three became Prisoners of War.
The crew members of NG170 were:
Flight Sergeant Victor Hugh Binch (1580691) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Pilot Officer Patrick John Buckman (428753) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant J B Gayland (1897680) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner) PoW
Flight Sergeant G A Jeans (1897598) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner) PoW
Flying Officer James Malcolmson Johnston (427098) (Pilot)
Sergeant P Mahon (1222555) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer) PoW
Pilot Officer Peter Donald Ross-Ross (J/93595) (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 Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/21/265