LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant John Francis Cameron McPHERSON
Service No: 413013
Born: Thornleigh NSW, 31 December 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 15 August 1941
Unit: No. 61 Operational Training Unit (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 61 Operational Training Unit Spitfire aircraft X4930), Shropshire, 31 May 1943, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Oswestry General Cemetery, Shropshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Robert and Myra McPherson, of Mittagong, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Mittagong NSW
Remembered: Panel 126, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Mittagong and District War Memorial, Mittagong NSW
On 26 February 1943 Flight Sergeant McPherson flying Tiger Moth N9384 was involved in a mid-air collision with Spitfire X4918 in which Sergeant George Lock (1293568) (RAFVR) was killed.
On 31 May 1943, Spitfire X4930 took off on a non-operational day formation training flight and crashed at 1200 hours on the outskirts of Shrewsbury, Shropshire. The Spitfire crashed when No. 60 Operational Training Unit Mosquito aircraft HJ881 hit X4930 which was No. 2 in a formation of four aircraft in line astern, and Flight Sergeant McPherson was killed along with the two Mosquito crew members.
Those killed in the collision were:
Warrant Officer Victor Alfred Clouder AFM (740712) (RAFVR) (Navigator Mosquito HJ881)
Flight Lieutenant Gordon Ward Mason (J/4015) (RCAF) (Pilot Mosquito HJ881)
Flight Sergeant John Francis McPherson (Pilot Spitfire X4930)
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, 166/26/44
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line