LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Joseph Michael McCULLOCH
Service No: 402004
Born: Sydney NSW, 25 December 1918
Enlisted in the RAAF: 28 April 1940
Unit: No. 250 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 250 Squadron Tomahawk aircraft AK554), off the North African Coast, 18 August 1941, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of William and Catherine McCullough, of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
Roll of Honour: Canberra ACT
Remembered: Column 246, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey UK
Remembered: Panel 126, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 18 August 1941Tomahawk AK554 was one of a formation of aircraft detailed to patrol over shipping off Sidi Barrani. The formation was engaged in combat with enemy aircraft and a simultaneous attack by two ME 109s caused one of the aircraft to burst into flames and it was last seen losing height and about 1,000 feet off the water. On return of the formation AK554 flown by Sergeant McCullough was the only aircraft of the Squadron that did not returned from this patrol.
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 A9301, 402004