LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant John Maxwell BROWN
Service No: 416321
Born: Hobart TAS, 30 May 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 24 May 1941 (at Adelaide SA)
Unit: Base Personnel Flight, Maison Blanche, Algeria
Died: Aircraft Accident (Hurricane aircraft KX836), Algeria, 24 May 1943, Aged 21 Years
Buried: La Reunion War Cemetery, Algeria
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Bruce Howard and Winifred Brown, of East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 119, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
At 0755 hours on the 24th May 1943, Hurricane KX836 flown by Flight Sergeant Brown crashed near Arnaud, Setif, Algeria during a non operational day practice flight and he was killed.
Hurricane KX836 was detailed to carry out dog fighting between two Hurricanes which started at 7,000 feet and when the machines reached 3000 feet, Flight Sergeant Brown who was flying as No2 was told to join in formation with his Leader and climb up. Flight Sergeant Brown did a sharp turn to starboard as though he was going to join with his No1, and his machine was seen to roll on its back and spin external to starboard. Flight Sergeant Brown came out of the spin, but his machine stalled again at about 250 feet and it fell to the ground.
According to an eye witness account by the Pilot in the other Hurricane, it appears probable that Flight Sergeant Brown blacked himself out by turning too sharply, causing his aircraft to spin. He was seen to recover from the spin but stalled again and crashed.
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, 166/6/159