LEST WE FORGET
Flying John Henry STOPP
Service No: 419738
Born: Cairns QLD, 3 July 1915
Enlisted in the RAAF: 10 October 1942 (at Sydney NSW)
Unit: No. 166 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Kirmington
Died: Air Operations: (No. 166 Squadron Lancaster aircraft ME777), Netherlands, 13 June 1944, Aged 28 Years
Buried: Zelhem General Cemetery, Gelderland, Netherlands
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Frederick Conrad and Laura Adela Stopp; husband of Ailsa Jean Stopp, of Caulfield, Victoria, Australia. A.F.I.A.
Roll of Honour: Mitcham SA
Remembered: Panel 130, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Lancaster ME777 took off from Kirmington at 2216 hours on the night of 12/13 June 1944, detailed to bomb Gelsenkirchen. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take-off and it failed to return to base. A Missing Research & Enquiry team reported later: “The aircraft crashed in the vicinity of Zelheim (Gelderland), Netherlands on 13 June 1944 and all the crew members were killed.”
The crew members of ME777 were:
Sergeant Joseph Eric Bawtree (1893164) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Flying Officer Harry Arthur Bulger Brown (434525) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Flying Officer Herbert William Davies (422143) (Air Bomber)
Flying Officer William George Grant BEM (152306) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Leslie Thomas Hunt (423242) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flying Officer Keith James Moses (432231) (Rear Gunner)
Flying Officer John Henry Stopp (419738) (Navigator)
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, 166/38/560
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line