Identity
Person No.
49275
Service No.
Unknown
Last Name
First Name
John Charles
Initials
J C
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
Age at Death
23
Death Record
Date of Death
Cause code
ACC 1,595
Accident
Cause of Death
Killed when the Bellanca Citabria light aircraft they were test-flying suffered wing failure, due to a poor technical wing repair, and plunged 900 metres to the ground during a Commando Pilot training exercise at the Baltimore airstrip
Military Service
Location
Country
Locality
Unknown
Grave Reference
Notes
Unknown
Research notes
Col (rt) Graham du Toit, Last Post, 1 Sep 2026: two members of 104 Air Commando Squadron were killed in this accident. No service number given. New ROH record. Same incident as Borchers, R. (PersonNumber 49274).
Mike Sandham 1 Sep 2026 omissions: No SAWGP. Capt John Charles Matthews (23) with Capt Rolf Borchers (40), 104 Air Commando Squadron — same Bellanca Citabria wing-failure crash at Baltimore airstrip. Source: OUD SOLDATE KLUB / Jaco Steenberg FB 1 Sep 2025. Confirms Graham 1 Sep 2026 record.
Citations
Unknown
External References
-
Mike Sandham
Mike Sandham 1 Sep 2026 omissions: No SAWGP. Capt John Charles Matthews (23) with Capt Rolf Borchers (40), 104 Air Commando Squadron — same Bellanca Citabria wing-failure crash at Baltimore airstrip. Source: OUD SOLDATE KLUB / Jaco Steenberg FB 1 Sep 2025. Confirms Graham 1 Sep 2026 record.
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