LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Frank Martin JACKSON
Service No: 417195
Born: Unley SA, 22 January 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 31 January 1942
Unit: No. 619 Squadron (RAF), RAF Strubby, Lincolnshire
Died: Air Operations (No. 619 Squadron Lancaster aircraft SW254), Germany, 10 April 1945, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Archie Neil Jackson and Adeline Jane Jackson, of Unley, South Australia
Roll of Honour: Unley SA
Remembered: Panel 124, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
On the 10 April 1945, Lancaster SW254 took off from RAF Strubby at 1841 hours, as part of a Squadron formation, detailed to attack the Wahren railway yards at Leipzig, Germany. A message was received from the aircraft 13 minutes before the time of the attack that they had no information to pass, as the aircraft was detailed for wind finding, and would normally pass back wind strength and direction about that time. Nothing further was heard from the aircraft and it failed to return to base. A Missing Research and Enquiry team later reported: “The aircraft was shot down by anti-aircraft fire, and crashed at Loeberitz on the 10th April 1945, which is 15 miles north east of Halle. Six of the crew were killed in the crash and one became a Prisoner of War.
The crew members of SW254 were;
Flight Sergeant Harold James Burke (1651096) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber) PoW
Pilot Officer John William Chambers (191639) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Flight Lieutenant Fred Jackson (171791) (RAF) (Flight Engineer)
Flying Officer Frank Martin Jackson (417195) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flight Lieutenant Albert Elmore McMorran (J/35722) (RCAF) (Pilot)
Pilot Officer Charles Thomas William Perring (56599) (RAF) (Rear Gunner)
Flight Lieutenant Bruce Arthur Williamson (J/13366) (RCAF) (Navigator)
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, 166/20/258