LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Reginald Daly MOHR DFM
Service No: 400019
Born: London, England, 15 June 1917
Enlisted in the RAAF: 28 April 1940 (at Melbourne VIC)
Unit: No. 211 Squadron (RAF)
Awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM)
Died: Ground Operations: Java, 1 March 1942, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Reginald Harry and Maisie Mohr, of Hampton, Victoria, Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Column 422, Singapore Memorial, Singapore
Remembered: Panel 127, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
DFM Citation: Sergeant R D Mohr of 39 Squadron RAF was the observer in an aircraft which carried out a long distance reconnaissance over enemy territory. In the course of the flight the pilot became incapacitated and fell over the controls. The aircraft went into a dive and Sergeant Mohr, with great coolness and initiative, fitted the auxiliary control and succeeded in regaining control of the aircraft after it had lost height for some 4,000 feet. He then flew the aircraft back to base handing over the controls to his pilot who had recovered sufficiently to land the aircraft safely. By his initiative and promptitude, Sergeant Mohr saved the aircraft and crew from becoming a loss.
In the final days on Java, events moved rapidly. Kalidjati was over-run on 1 March with heavy casualties. That is the date recorded for the loss of Flying Officer Mockridge’s Observer, Sergeant Mohr. Although his fate is uncertain, he was last seen walking down a road near the airfield on that day. He has no known grave and is commemorated as one of the missing on the Singapore Memorial at Kranji.
Extract from 211squadron.org Website (No other details are available from the NAA files.)
The crew members who regularly flew together in No. 211Squadron Blenheim aircraft were:
Flying Officer George Alfred Mockridge (45431) (RAF) (Pilot) Killed on Air Operations: 9 September 1942
Sergeant Reginald Daly Mohr DFM (400019) (Observer) Killed: 1 March 1942
Sergeant Cyril George Sharley (1167816) (Wireless Air Gunner) Prisoner of War, Java (Executed): 9 March 1942
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A9300 MOHR R D