LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer John William GODDARD
Service No: 401785
Born: Ormond VIC, 4 September 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 29 March 1941
Unit: No. 211 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 211 Squadron Beaufighter aircraft LZ153), Myanmar, 28 May 1944, Aged 23 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Alfred Ernest and Maud Hassall Goddard
Roll of Honour: Caulfield VIC
Remembered: Column 443, Singapore Memorial, Singapore
Remembered: Panel 122, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 0800 hours on 28 May 1944 Beaufighter LZ153 took off as one of two aircraft detailed to carry out an armed reconnaissance of Kawlin and Mawlu, Burma. Flying Officer Alfred Keith Cuddy (J/16295) (RCAF) stated that LZ153 was in front of him and out of sight. When Cuddy was near the Meza Bridge, Goddard informed him on Channel C of VHF he was being attacked by three enemy fighters. No further call was made by Goddard and Cuddy returned to base. He was unable to contact Goddard during his return flight. The crew of LZ153 were recorded as missing in Burma with no known grave.
The crew members of LZ153 were:
Warrant Officer Ernest Moreton Boon (1233069) (RAFVR) (Navigator BW)
Pilot Officer John William Goddard (401785) (Pilot)
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, 166/16/348