Studio portrait of 405792 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) John Cecil Holmes, pilot of No. 460 ...

Accession Number P02630.001
Collection type Photograph
Object type Black & white
Physical description Black & white
Maker Hugo Studio Camera Studies
Place made United Kingdom: England, Greater London, London
Date made c 1944
Conflict Second World War, 1939-1945
Copyright

Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain

Public Domain Mark This item is in the Public Domain

Description

Studio portrait of 405792 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) John Cecil Holmes, pilot of No. 460 Squadron, RAAF, of Brisbane, Qld. Flt Lt Holmes, a woolclasser in civilian life, was born on 2 September 1921 and was killed in action while on a raid on Chemnitz, Germany, on 5 March 1945. He was promoted to Squadron Leader on 25 February 1945 and awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for 'numerous operations against the enemy, in the course of which he invariably displayed the utmost fortitude, courage and devotion to duty'. Other members of his crew killed include 412815 Flt Lt Thomas Ernest Victor Morgan DFM, RAAF, air gunner and Gunnery Leader of the Squadron; 409653 Flying Officer (FO) Ivan Sydney Baudinette RAAF, wireless operator, air gunner; 408440 FO Donald George Hudspeth RAAF, navigator; 430159 Flight Sergeant T. T. Clarke RAAF, second pilot flying with the crew on operational experience; 412167 Warrant Officer Alwyn (Elwyn?) Oswald Thomas Mayne RAAF, air gunner; Sgt J Young RAF, flight engineer; Sgt R. E. Hayward RAF, bomb aimer.