LEST WE FORGET
Warrant Officer John Hunter STEVENSON
Service No: 402042
Born: Glenelg SA, 12 February 1915
Enlisted in the RAAF: 28 April 1940 (at Sydney NSW)
Unit: No. 11 Squadron (RAF), Feni, Bangladesh
Died: Air Operations: (No. 11 Squadron Blenheim aircraft Z9664), Feni, 17 January 1943, Aged 27 Years
Buried: Maynamati War Cemetery, Bangladesh
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Walter Hunter Stevenson and Dora Helen Stevenson, of North Adelaide, South Australia.
Roll of Honour: Bordertown SA
Remembered: Panel 130, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Blenheim Z9664 left Feni on 17 January 1943 an operational raid on Rathedaung village together with five other aircraft from the Squadron. The target was bombed and the aircraft commenced their return to Feni. On landing at 1745 hours at Feni Z 9664 exploded when it landed and the aircraft completely disintegrated and burnt killing all three crew members. A 250 lb (pound) (115 kg) bomb had hung up instead of being released.
The crew members of Z9664 were:
Pilot Officer Bruce McKenzie Ferguson (406103) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Derek John Lock (406132) (Navigator Bomb Aimer)
Warrant Officer John Hunter Stevenson (402042) (Wireless 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 Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/163/571