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Myburgh, John Adrian (J A)

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Identity
Person No.
18237
Service No.
Unknown
Last Name
First Name
John Adrian
Initials
J A
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
Age at Death
19
Military Service
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Secondary Unit
and General List
Death Record
Date of Death
Cause of Death
Died of wounds, received flying on DH4; wounded on the 8th April, returning from a raid on the Headquarters of Crown Prince Rupprecht near Mons in Belgium
Grave Reference
Additional Information
Notes

Son of Ryk Henry and Blanche Myburgh, of The Civil Service Club, Cape Town, South Africa. A native of Cape Town, South Africa; joined Royal Flying Corps, 1916, and after training at the Central School of Flying was posted as Second Lieutenant (Pilot) 55 Squadron (DH4's), Lilliborne, Northamptonshire, 15.2.1917; he moved with the squadron to Fienvillers, France, and on 8.4.1917, whilst flying DH4 A2160, 'bombers of 55 Squadron were raiding a chateau at Hardenpont, up near Mons. This Squadron was based at Fienvillers, south-west of Doullens, and was the first DH4 Squadron to operate in France, having come out from England in March. Their first operation was flown on 3 April. Today it would suffer its first losses. The chateau housed the Headquarters of Crown Prince Rupprecht's Army Group although the raid did not cause him any personal problems. On the return journey, Jasta 11 were waiting for the bombers, and met them north of Cambrai at 14.25. In the fight which ensued, two 'Fours' were brought down, one by Schafer (A2140), the other by Wolff (A2141), one at Epinoy, one at Blecourt, while a third (A2160) was hit by flak, coming down south-west of Amiens. This was probably the 'grosskampf aircraft' claimed by Flakzug 17, seen to go down over Amigny' (Bloody April.....Black September, refers); Myburgh died of his wounds two days after the bombing raid.

Citation
Unknown
External Source
Unknown
South African War Graves Project

southafricawargraves.org — record #18237