LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant John Blatch TAPLIN
Service No: 407607
Born: Adelaide SA, 3 May 1915
Enlisted in the RAAF: 11 November 1940
Unit: No. 206 Squadron (RAF), RAF Benbecula, Western Isles, Scotland
Died: Air Operations (No. 206 Squadron B-17 Flying Fortress aircraft FL454), Benbecula, 6 October 1942, Aged 27 Years
Buried: Nunton Old Churchyard, Isle of Benbecula, Scotland
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Alfred Basil John and Estelle Christina Taplin; husband of Nancy Eileen Taplin, of Largs Bay, South Australia.
Roll of Honour: Adelaide SA
Remembered: Panel 131, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
On 6th October 1942, Fortress FL454 detailed to carry out a night operational anti-submarine patrol, took off at 0559 hours when another aircraft taxied on to the runway directly in the path of FL 454 taking off. To avoid a collision Flying Officer Delarue was forced to pull his aircraft violently off the ground and the aircraft was seen to climb steadily, and then stall, crash into the sea, and break up. The accident took place at Benbecula. Five of the crew were killed in the crash and two were slightly injured.
The crew members of FL 454 were:
Sergeant D S Coutts (1023023) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner) Slightly Injured
Flying Officer Jack Edmond Delarue (402322) (Pilot)
Sergeant John Flower Guppy (406452) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant J Hunt (986959) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner) Slightly Injured
Sergeant James Cleveland Harold Rudolph Jaeger (1382407) (RAFVR) (Second Pilot)
Sergeant Frederick Arthur Robinson (1376615) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Flight Sergeant John Blatch Taplin (407607) (Wireless 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, 163/165/136