LEST WE FORGET

Flying Officer John David MURRAY

Service No: 413640
Born: Rutherglen VIC, 26 June 1913
Enlisted in the RAAF: 12 September 1941 (at Sydney NSW)
Unit: No. 5 Lancaster Finishing School (RAF), RAF Syerston, Nottinghamshire
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 10 Advanced Flying Unit Lancaster aircraft R5726), Nottinghamshire, 4 April 1944, Aged 34 Years
Buried: Oxford (Botley) Cemetery, Oxfordshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of John and Irene Marguerite Murray, of Berendebba, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Berendebba NSW
Remembered: Panel 127, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Grenfell World War II Memorial, Grenfell NSW
Remembered: Weddin Shire and Grenfell War Memorials, Grenfell NSW
Remembered: Quandialla District War Memorial, Quandialla NSW
Remembered: Quandialla Rolls of Honour, Quandialla NSW

At 1545 hours on the 4th April 1944, Lancaster R5726 from RAF Syerston, exploded in mid-air and crashed half a mile from Branston, Nottinghamshire, during very bad weather, and all the crew members were killed.

The crew members of R5726 were:

Sergeant Sidney Chappell (1890699) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Pilot Officer Frank Lockyer Grimwood (419308) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant William Henry Keeble (424190) (Navigator)
Flying Officer John David Murray (413640) (Pilot)
Sergeant Robert Edward James Sisley (1895505) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Flying Officer William Leopold Towers (421105) (Navigator Bomb Aimer)
Flight Sergeant Raymond George Williams (417548) (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
National Archives of Australia on-Line Record A705, 166/28/275
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line

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