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Casulaty Details

 
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Name: John FORSTER
Casualty No.: Ranks: Flight Lieutenant Initials: J Service No.: 123200
Date of Birth : - Place of Birth : Age at Death: 22
Unit: 622 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Former Unit(s):
Place Enlisted:
Place of Residence: Crookhill, Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham.
Home Address: 5 Hedgefield Terrace, Crookhill, Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham.
Previous Address:
Civilian Employment:
How Died: Killed as a result of a road accident.
Date of Death: Wednesday 20th September 1944
Place of Death: Mildenhall, Suffolk.
Battle/Campaign:
Locally Commemorated: Ryton War Memorial, Station Bank, Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham. Stargate War Memorial, Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham.
UK Commemorated: West Road Crematorium and Cemetery, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland. Hookergate School Memorial, Highfield, Co. Durham.
Overseas Commemorated: -
Buried: Cremated at Newcastle West Road Crematorium, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland.
Decoration and Medals: 1939-45 Star. Africa Star. Defence Medal. War Medal. Mentioned in Despatches.
Photographs: 5
Service Records: No
Death Notice/Obituary:
Family Details:
Son of Robert and Mary Ann Forster, of 5 Hedgefield Terrace, Crookhill, Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham.
Notes : John was cremated on his 23rd birthday at Newcastle West Road Crematorium, having been killed as a result of a road accident. He and an officer friend had been riding a motor cycle near Mildenhall, Suffolk, when they were in collision with an American lorry, both died instantly. He was an Old Boy of Hookergate School. In the school magazine of 1936-1937 John is mentioned as being in the football eleven and our utility man. Shows ability everywhere but is at his best at centre forward, from which position he scored the prettiest goal of the season the first against Jarrow's. His further education included a year at King's College, Newcastle upon Tyne, and from there he left to join the RAF. Barely six months after enlisting in the RAF he carried out his first operational flight over France. Later he joined the defence of Malta when the action was at its height, and from there he flew operational sorties within the Middle East theatre of war, especially around the area of Tobruk, Libya. When home on leave he would give lectures to the Air Training Corps. Before the war he spent some time as a Cub Master with Colonel Simpson's Own Cub Scouts. John's father was a banksman at Addison Colliery. It was not until late 1946 that his parents were informed that he was Mentioned In Despatches for his actions during the siege of Malta.
Sources Used: Commonwealth War Graves Commission Debt of Honour Register. Newcastle Evening Chronicle, 11th September 1946. Information from family members.
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