LEST WE FORGET
Warrant Officer John Samuel McClelland CAMPBELL
Service No: 415227
Born: Subiaco WA, 10 February 1923
Enlisted in the RAAF: 17 August 1941
Unit: No. 2 Squadron, Hughes NT
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 2 Squadron B-25 Mitchell aircraft A47-13), Adelaide River NT, 6 August 1944, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Adelaide River War Cemetery NT
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Samuel and Jean Campbell, of Westonia, Western Australia.
Roll of Honour: Perth WA
Remembered: Panel 98, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Cenotaph Undercroft, State War Memorial, Kings Park WA
On 6 August 1944, Mitchell A47-13 with three other aircraft was carrying out medium and low level bombing practice at J Range, The crew of A47-13 experienced trouble in releasing bombs and advised the formation that the bombs were about to be salvoed. The bombs were seen to fall and explode beneath the aircraft. Flames were seen to come from the aircraft which crash landed in flames at 1050 hours about 10 miles east of Adelaide River Township. Four of those on board were killed in the crash and two were fatally injured.
On board A47-13 were:
Flying Officer Arthur Keith Buckland (7010) (Co-Pilot) Fatally injured, Died: 19 August 1944
Warrant Officer John Campbell (415227) (Wireless Operator Air)
Sergeant Frederick Hugh Conaghan (433289) (Air Gunner)
Flying Officer Stanley Davies (415512) (Pilot) Injured, Discharged from the RAAF 13 August 1945
Warrant Officer Arthur Griesbach (415321) (Wireless Operator Air)
Flying Officer Kenneth Joseph Hadley (131581) (RAFVR) (Pilot, Supernumerary) No. 549 Squadron RAF
Flying Officer David Gethen Lane (416434) (Navigator) Fatally injured, Died: 8 August 1944
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A9845, 1
Bibliography:
Wilson, S. (Stewart) Boston, Mitchell and Liberator in Australian Service, Aerospace Publications Weston Creek ACT 2611, 1992