The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (408056) Flying Officer John Edward Alcock, No. 13 Squadron, RAAF, Second World War.

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Craig Berelle, the story for this day was on (408056) Flying Officer John Edward Alcock, No. 13 Squadron, RAAF, Second World War.

408056 Flying Officer John Edward Alcock, No. 13 Squadron, RAAF
KIA (Flying Battle) 1 October 1942
Story delivered 8 December 2018

Today we remember and pay tribute to Flying Officer John Edward Alcock.

John Alcock was born on 30 January 1918 in Deloraine, Tasmania, to John and Ida Alcock. He grew up in Launceston, attended Launceston High School, and served as a senior cadet with the 12th Battalion.

After finishing school, he found employment as a clerk for the Bank of New South Wales in Hobart. During this time, he served in the militia, initially with the 22nd Light Horse Regiment, before transferring to the Army Service Corps. He was granted a discharge from his militia service when he moved back to Launceston.

Following the outbreak of the Second World War, Alcock enlisted for service in the Royal Australian Air Force on 17 August 1940. After his initial training, he was accepted for pilot training and on 11 March 1941 he became an airman pilot. He was promoted to sergeant the same day.

Alcock completed his flying training and earned his pilots’ wings. He was commissioned with the rank of pilot officer on 10 September 1941

From late December 1941 until mid-January 1942 he was posted to No. 1 Operational Training Unit at Nhill, where he completed a conversion course to fly Lockheed Hudson bombers. He was then posted to No. 7 Squadron, RAAF at Laverton.

This posting was short-lived and Alcock was posted to Darwin in March, where he joined No. 13 Squadron, RAAF. The squadron had suffered badly during the Japanese bombing raids in February and was in the process of rebuilding. One week after his arrival, Alcock was promoted to flying officer.

Though aircraft availability was initially limited, Alcock and his crew were involved in bombing and reconnaissance missions against Japanese targets in the Netherlands East Indies and anti-shipping operations in the Timor Sea.

On 14 September, Alcock and his crew were involved in an attack on Japanese shipping in Saumlaki Bay. Although the targeted ship was not damaged, the squadron damaged the surrounding dock area.

In the early hours of the 1st of October, Alcock and his crew took off in Hudson Bomber a16-243 for a reconnaissance operation over Koepang, Timor. The aircraft and its crew were never seen again.

Despite searches being conducted, no sign of the aircraft could be found. Alcock and the other crewmen of Hudson A16-243 were initially listed as missing, but a later investigation concluded that the men had been killed in action. Alcock was 24 years old.

Today their names are commemorated on the Northern Territory Memorial located in the Adelaide River War Cemetery.

Alcock’s name appears on the Roll of Honour on my left, among almost 40,000 Australians who died while serving in the Second World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Flying Officer John Edward Alcock, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Michael Kelly
Historian, Military History Section