LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant John Kirkpatrick MORRIS
Service No: 404251
Born: Brisbane QLD, 3 May 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 19 July 1940
Unit: No. 102 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Pocklington
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 102 Squadron Halifax aircraft R9488), Yorkshire, 14 April 1942, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Harrogate (Stonefall) Cemetery, Yorkshire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Thomas John and Agnes Kirkpatrick Morris, of Nundah, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Brisbane QLD
Remembered: Panel 127, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 14 April 1942 Halifax R9488 took off from Pocklington to carry out an air test and crashed at 1246 hours near Baldersby, 6 miles north east of Ripon, Yorkshire. It was believed that the crash was caused by rudder overbalance. Eye witnesses reported that he aircraft executed a series of left and right hand turns, before stalling and spinning in. All the eight on board were killed.
The crew members of R9488 were:
Sergeant Noel Grimoldby (575319) (RAF) (Flight Engineer)
Leading Aircraftman John Livesey (1122012) (RAFVR) (Instrument Repairer)
Sergeant John Kirkpatrick Morris (404251) (Second Pilot)
Sergeant Kenneth O’Connelley (946944) (RAFVR) (First Wireless Operator)
Flight Lieutenant Henry Noel Ross (90393) (RAF (Auxiliary Air Force)) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant Kenneth Harold Sutton (918861) (RAFVR) (Second Wireless Operator)
Sergeant Philip Leonard Newell Trehearn (947664) (RAFVR) (Observer)
Flight Lieutenant Harry Malcolm Williams (66508) (RAFVR) (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, 163/145/211