LEST WE FORGET
Second Lieutenant Claude Murray ROSS
From Australia serving in the Royal Flying Corps
Service No: 1154 (Australian Army)
Born: Caulfield VIC, August 1892
Enlisted in the Army: 17 August 1914
Unit: 45th Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, based at Ste. Marie Cappel, France
Died: Air Operations, France, 19 August 1917, Aged 25 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Mrs. Murray Ross, of 21, Hotham Grove, Elsternwick, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Left Australia with the first contingent October, 1914, was at the landing and evacuation of Gallipoli, went to France where he obtained his commission
Remembered: Arras Flying Services Memorial, Pas de Calais, France
Remembered: Commemorative Roll, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 5 November 1916, Second Lieutenant Ross resigned from the Australian Army and accepted a Commission in the British Army.
During an offensive patrol on 19 August 1917, Sopwith Two-Seater aircraft A8298, flown by Second Lieutenant Ross (Pilot) and Second Lieutenant John Orr Fowler RFC (Observer), was seen to break up in the air and fall near Zandvoorde, Belgium.
References:
Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record B2455, ROSS CLAUDE MURRAY
National Archives UK RAF Casualty Book AIR 1/968 page 184, 244931