LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant John Kenneth MARSHMAN
Service No: 407721
Born: Adelaide SA, 5 May 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 4 January 1941
Unit: No. 106 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Coningsby, Lincolnshire
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 106 Squadron Lancaster aircraft R5576), Coningsby, 21 July 1942, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Coningsby Cemetery, Lincolnshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Benjamin Kenneth and Marjorie Hettie Marshman, of Toorak Gardens, South Australia.
Roll of Honour: Adelaide SA
Remembered: Panel 127, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
Lancaster R5576 took off from Coningsby on the 21 July 1942, detailed to carry out a practice bombing sortie. It crashed almost immediately after take off due to failure of the port inner engine. Eye witnesses stated that the aircraft climbed slowly to about 200 feet, before stalling and crashing near the airfield. All ten on board were killed.
The crew members of R5576 were:
Sergeant Alfred Maurice Blyth (1285751) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Pilot Officer Walter Beattie Carlyle (J/9143) (RCAF) (Pilot)
Leading Aircraftman Herbert Roy Forster (577519) (RAF)
Flight Sergeant Albert Graham Gibson (R/70724) (RCAF) (Air Gunner)
Pilot Officer George Robert Hanna (J/8615) (RCAF) (Observer)
Sergeant Robert Muir Mathieson (628213) (RAF) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant John Kenneth Marshman (407721) (Second Pilot)
Aircraftman Class 1 George Edward Smith (1270159) (RAFVR)
Sergeant John Teevin (1123156) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant John Edward Stuart Walker (R/77410) (RCAF) (Air Gunner)
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 A9301, 407721
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