LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant John Kevin LADLEY
Service No: 435083
Born: Ipswich QLD, 5 August 1924
Enlisted in the RAAF: 5 March 1943
Unit: No. 101 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Ludford Magna
Died: Air Operations (No. 101 Squadron Lancaster aircraft NF954), over Germany, 11 November 1944, Aged 20 Years
Buried: Cambridge City Cemetery, Cambridgeshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of John and Alice Ladley, of Woodend, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Ipswich QLD
Remembered: Panel 125, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Lancaster NF954 took-off from Ludford Magna at 1553 hours on the night of 11 November 1944 detailed to bomb Dortmund, Germany. The aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire over the target at 1900 hours, and as a result the special duties operator Flight Sergeant Ladley was fatally injured and the rear gunner Flight Sergeant Davies received slight wounds. The rest of the crew members were uninjured and the aircraft landed safely back at base.
The crew members of NF954 were:
Sergeant H J Black (RAF) (Flight Engineer)
Flight Sergeant F Coulson (RCAF) (Air Bomber)
Flight Sergeant G E Deatherage (RCAF) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Flight Sergeant E A J Davies (RCAF) (Rear Gunner)
Flight Sergeant R E Hine (RCAF) (Navigator)
Flying Officer D G H Ireland (RCAF) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant John Kevin Ladley (435083) (Wireless Operator Air) (Special Equipment Operator)
Pilot Officer J C Munro (RCAF) (Wireless Operator)
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, 166/24/587