LEST WE FORGET
Warrant Officer John Patrick WHELAN
Service No: 403883
Born: Denman NSW, 2 April 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 4 March 1941
Unit: No. 78 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Breighton
Died: Air Operations: (No. 78 Squadron Halifax aircraft MZ636), France, 8 June 1944, Aged 23 Years
Buried: Bretigny-sur-Orge Communal Cemetery, Essonne, France
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Roger Bede Whelan and Grace Mary Whelan, of Denman, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 132, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Denman War Memorial and Remembrance Park, Denman NSW
At 2259 hours on the night of 7 June 1944 Halifax took off from Breighton detailed to attack the railway yards at Juvisy, France. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take-off and it failed to return to base. A report by a Missing Research and Enquiry team stated “the aircraft crashed near the village of Plessis-Pate near Bretigny-sur-Orge (Essonne), in the district of Seine et Oise, France. Eye witnesses stated that the aircraft was flying low and appeared in difficulties, when it was again hit by anti-aircraft fire and crashed.” All the crew members were killed.
The crew members of MZ636 were:
Flying Officer Donald John Bryant (152776) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Sergeant Frederick William Holroyd (1131680) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
Flight Lieutenant George Arthur Marrows (47708) (RAF) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Ronald Scott (1451202) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Sergeant John Harold Sheehan (1863241) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Sergeant Sidney Thomas Tanser (578649) (RAF) (Flight Engineer)
Warrant Officer John Patrick Whelan (403883) (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 Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/43/705
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line