LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant John William BALFOUR
Service No: 407840
Born: Wayville SA, 9 March 1913
Enlisted in the RAAF: 1 February 1941
Unit: No. 70 Operational Training Unit (RAF), Nairobi, Kenya
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 70 Operational Training Unit Blenheim aircraft Z 6042), Kenya, 23 June 1942, Aged 29 Years
Buried: Nakuru North Cemetery, Kenya
CWGC Additional Information: Son of William and Maud Balfour; husband of Edith Ethel Balfour, of Kilburn. South Australia.
Roll of Honour: Unley SA
Remembered: Panel 118, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
At about 1050 hours on the 23 June 1942, Blenheim Z6042 crashed 20 kms from Naivasha as a result of a collision when formation flying. Two of the crew members were killed and one was uninjured.
The crew members of Z 6042 were:
Sergeant F P Abderhaldon (1377540) (RAF) (Pilot) Uninjured
Sergeant John William Balfour (407840) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Robert Donald MacGregor (987011) (RAFVR) (Observer)
Particulars of the other aircraft are not reported in the Casualty Message.
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, 163/90/310
Bibliography:
Gaston, Bruce DFC (406646), Harry Horner DFC OAM (406595), Raymond Storer (406666) (Editors), Aircrew for the Duration: of and by members of RAAF EATS Courses 10, 11, 12 & 13, Gaston Horner and Storer, Nedlands WA, 1990