Identity
Person No.
22074
Service No.
80195
Last Name
First Name
John
Initials
J
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
Age at Death
34
Military Service
Death Record
Date of Death
Cause of Death
Killed in action. Took off from Regina to bomb marshalling yards at Bresica near Lake Garda. Aircraft was loaded with 9 SBCs (small bomb containers), each carrying approx. 50 x 4lb incendiary bombs. Plan was to drop high explosive bombs, then incendiary bombs. Squadron Ops Book records: 'Not heard of after take off' Squadron Gunnery Leader reported: at 21.00 hours at a height of 5-- feet, heading 13 3 degrees at position 44.55N 11.16, after leaving the target, yellowish white fighter flares were observed on the port beam at about 800yds away. Pilot immediately turned to starboard and resumed course. Shortly afterwards, an explosion in the sky was seen which was suggestive of an aircraft disintegrating and falling to the ground on fire. It burned green and red for a while afterwards
Grave Reference
Location
Additional Information
Notes
Son of Charles and Elizabeth Russell; husband of Dorothy Isabel Joy Russell (nee Gliddon), of Cape Town, South Africa. He was born on June 10th, 1910, and entered Milner House in January 1929. He passed his Junior Certificate in 1932, was appointed a House Prefect in 1934, lance-corporal in the Cadet Corps; School 2nd Rugger XV, 1934; and he took a keen interest in dramatics, appearing in four school performances. He left Plumtree in December 1934. On Plumtree School Roll of Honour
Citation
Unknown
External Source
Unknown
South African War Graves Project