LEST WE FORGET

Flight Sergeant Ronald LANHAM

Service No: 421990
Born: Cowra NSW, 15 August 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 24 April 1942
Unit: No. 14 Squadron (RAF), Blida, Algeria
Died: Air Operations: (No. 14 Squadron Marauder aircraft B117780), off the Spanish Coast, 29 March 1944, Aged 23 Years
Buried: Mataro Roman Catholic Cemetery, Spain
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Timothy and Olinda Lanham, of Cowra, New South Wales, Australia.
Roll of Honour: Cowra NSW
Remembered: Panel 125, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Morongla Creek WWII Honour Roll, Morongla Creek NSW
Remembered: Former Commercial Banking Company of Sydney Head Office Honour Rolls, Sydney NSW

Marauder B117780 of No. 14 Squadron took off at 0750 hours on 29 March 1944 to carry out a low level reconnaissance of shipping in the north west Mediterranean area along the Spanish and
French coasts between Barcelona and Marseilles. The British Consul at Barcelona later advised that at 1030 hours on 29 March 1944, the aircraft crashed in the sea about 3 miles off Mataro, Barcelona district, a Spanish Mediterranean port.

The crew members of B117780 were:

Flight Sergeant Frank Raymond Lamond (410349) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Ronald Lanham (421990) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Flying Officer John Walsh Lewis (417089) (Second Pilot)
Flying Officer William Cameron McDonald (4505) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Charles Manning Peedom (421620) (Navigator)
Flight Sergeant Michael Thomas Woods (421840) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)

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
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/24/411

Bibliography:

Napier, Michael Winged Crusaders: the exploits of 14 Squadron RFC & RAF 1915-1945, Pen & Sword Books, Barnsley UK, 2012

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