LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer John Bromley SHERIDAN
Service No: 402025
Born: Sydney NSW, 10 April 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 4 September 1939
Unit: No. 39 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 39 Squadron Maryland aircraft AH285), Egypt / Libya border area, 5 May 1941, Aged 20 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Norman Lancelot Campbell Sheridan and Nellie Ethel Sheridan, of Manly, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Manly NSW
Remembered: Column 245, Alamein Memorial, Egypt
Remembered: Panel 130, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Manly ANZAC War Memorial, Manly NSW
At 0640 hours on 5 May 1941 Maryland AH285 took off from Fuka satellite airfield to carry out a strategic and photo reconnaissance of Derna, Martuba, El Timimi, El Gazala and the area between Tobruk and Bardia. As the aircraft had not returned to base by midday, all aircraft proceeding to that area were requested to keep a lookout, but nothing was seen. With no trace of the aircraft or crew being found following post war enquiries and investigations, the missing crew members were recorded as having no known graves.
The crew members of AH285 were:
Pilot Officer Roy Dawson Allen (82185) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Squadron Leader Garth Oliver Mills (37520) (RAF) (Pilot)
Pilot Officer John Bromley Sheridan (402025) (Observer)
Sergeant Albert Turner (548623) (RAF) (Wireless Operator/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 Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/56/63
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line