LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer Stanley Maxwell LAMAN
Service No: 405916
Born: Roma QLD, 14 August 1919
Enlisted in the RAAF: 22 June 1941
Unit: No. 198 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Manston
Died: Air Operations: (No. 198 Squadron Typhoon aircraft JR435), France, 13 January 1944, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Roye New British Cemetery, Somme, France
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Edward Blake Laman and Lillian Elizabeth Laman, of Roma, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Toowoomba QLD
Remembered: Panel 125, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 1634 hours on 13 January 1944 Typhoon JR435 flown by Pilot Officer Laman took off from Manston in a formation of six aircraft, detailed to carry out a Ranger operation to cover German Air Force bases north of north west Paris. On the way over Pilot Officer Laman joined with his leader Squadron Leader Bryan in chasing a Geeland transport, and his No 1 eventually shot it down. JR435 sustained no damage and reformed and resumed course in the normal way. Near Champagne a bank of low mist was encountered, as the Leader circled the formation north. Due to bad weather and changing weather they suddenly emerged over Juvincourt airfield at a height of 50 feet. Ground defences put up an intense barrage of light anti-aircraft fire and Laman’s aircraft was hit apparently by 40mm high explosive round in one of the tanks. The aircraft crashed vertically in a blazing mass in the centre of the landing field and Pilot Officer Laman was killed.
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, 166/24/255