LEST WE FORGET
Flight Lieutenant John Douglas STUBBS DFC
Service No: 413275
Born: Canowindra NSW, 13 December 1915
Enlisted in the RAAF: 16 August 1941
Unit: No. 168 Squadron (RAF)
Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), 11 August 1944
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 168 Squadron Typhoon aircraft RB209), Netherlands, 2 January 1945, Aged 29 Years
Buried: Eindhoven (Woensal) General Cemetery, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands
CWGC Additional Information: Son of John Shepherd Stubbs and Alice May Stubbs, of Canowindra, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Canowindra NSW
Remembered: Panel 131, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Canowindra War Memorial Arch, Canowindra NSW
DFC Citation: Flying Officer Stubbs has completed numerous low level photographic sorties in very heavily defended areas. He has destroyed seven locomotives and two enemy aircraft. By his complete disregard for danger together with his outstanding coolness and enthusiasm, this officer has set a magnificent example to the rest of the squadron. (London Gazette 11 August 1944, page 3716)
Typhoon RB209 had been ferried from No. 83 GSU to No. 168 Squadron RAF on 31 December
1944. On the morning of 2 January 1945, Flight Lieutenant Stubbs (Flight Commander) authorised a test flight on the aircraft to be carried out by him as pilot. The aircraft was cleaned of any visible ice or hoar frost.
Immediately after take-off at 0834 hours, the port wing dropped and the aircraft banked right and headed towards some aircraft of No. 124 Wing and other units which were dispersed west of the runway. RB209 momentarily straightened out and the right wheel struck the ground. Banking the aircraft then struck Typhoon MP201, burst into flames, and the two burning aircraft were carried by the impact into two wooden huts 20 feet away. Both aircraft were completely burnt out and Flt Lt Stubbs was killed. RB209 did not climb more than 10 feet above the ground.
A later report into the accident stated “the cause of the accident was obscure and could not be defined. From the evidence it was assumed that there was no ice or hoar frost on the wings sufficient to stall the aircraft. The aircraft was destroyed by fire and there was no evidence as to the correctness or otherwise of the cockpit drill. Flight Lieutenant Stubbs was a capable and experienced 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, 166/38/854
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line