F/O Ian Stewart Ross S/N 18839 RAAF.

Joined RAAF 1940 As Ground Staff, Volunteered For Aircrew and Trained as a Pilot.

Trained in Australia and under EATS (BCTAP)also in Canada.

Pick taken in Late 1944 UK, after Commissioning.

Postings -

Enlisted 17 June 1940 Engine Fitter, Melbourne Aust, Aged 20 Years and 3 Months.

1 Recruit Depot RAAF Laverton 1940

1 Aircraft Depot RAAF Laverton 1940 - 41

1 FTS RAAF Point Cook 1941

Oct 1941 Approved for Aircrew Training

1 ITS RAAF Sommers 1941 - 1942
(Initial Training)

7 EFTS Western Junction 1942
(Tiger Moths Learning to Fly Solo 31 May 1942).

2 Embarkation Depot RAAF Bradfield Park 1942 (Bound for Canada).

Sailed to USA Aug 1942 on board USN Troopship USS Mount Vernon.
Then by train across USA to Canada.

Sept 1942 Canada.

3 M Depot Edmonton Canada 1942
(awaiting a training slot)

7 SFTS RCAF Mcloud Alberta Canada 1942
(Multi Engine Training)

Awarded Wings 22 Jan 1943 at RCAF Mcloud by AVM Stanley Goble RAAF.

Departed RCAF Mcloud for USA Feb 1943.
Traveled by train across USA, boarded Liner Queen Elizabeth in New York and arrived Scotland 17 March 1943.

RAAF Bournmouth (11 PDRC)
(awaiting Training Slot)1943
(Present when Luftwaffe FW190s attacked area and saw friends killed 23 May 1943 when local pub took a direct hit - 77 killed).

Left 11 PDRC 25 May 1943 (a few hours after he left another air raid took place).

15 Pilots Advanced Flying Unit RAF Greenham Common 1943

1511 Blind Approach Training Course 1943

27 OTU RAF Silverstone (Crew selected)
1943

Flew First Op 26/27 Sept 1943 dropping leaflets over Paris as part of training.
(Wellington)

1654 HCU 1943
(4 Engine Training Halifax and Lancaster)

5 LFS (Lancaster School) 1943

57 RAF Sqd Jan 1944
(First Op Berlin Came back on 3 engines Nightfighter and FLAK Damage)

Came back on 3 engines twice and on 2 engines once.
highly respected aircrew known for their expertise with H2S and Navigation in particular.

Left 57 for temp duty with 617 April 1944. Made permanent posting July 1944.

Operated against wide variety of targets ranging from D-Day Spoof operation to E/U Boat Pens to taking part in 2 Operations against KMS Tirpitz in Norway.

Only Australian in his Aircrew.

Shot Down by Fighters off Norway 12 Jan 1945 on second tour (70th operation).

Ditched safely.

Believed to have been strafed and killed by fighters along with the rest of his Aircrew.
Only one recovered when washed ashore miles up coast, rest Runnymeade Memorial UK.

(Stephen relation - Anyone related to others in Aircrew please contact me on [email protected])

Aircrew Photo Ian Ross Late 1943 Just before Starting Operations.

Original Aircrew (Not all killed)

Back Row L-R

W/OP Ken Jenkinson
(Survived War - Grounded due to Illness and did not fly on final op.
Named one of his Sons Ian after Ian Ross after war).

M/U Air Gunner Charlie King (Elected not to fly second tour. Survived War. Nothing More Known)

F/E Bill Walter KIA 12 Jan 1945 No Known Resting Place.

Rear AG Bert Mckellar KIA 12 Jan 1945 No Known Resting Place.

Front
L-R

Nav Terry O'Brien (Only Officer in Aircrew at First. Elected Not to fly second tour. Survived War. Nothing further known).

Pilot Ian Ross

B/A Ed Tilby (KIA 12 Jan 1945)

Aircraft when Killed was NF992 KC-B for Beer.

Others Killed with Ian were -

Syd Anderson DFM (Nav)
(Asked to fly with an RAAF Pilot as he served his first tour in an Australian Sqd - 467 RAAF Sqd - Awarded DFM end of tour)

Ray Ellwood DFM MID (W/OP)
(At Rest in Norway only member with Known resting place. Operated 1939 - 1945. Started on Hampdens, and Survived Daylight 'Augsburg Operation'.
Meant to be on rest post at group HQ).

Leslie Griffiths (AG)

Ian Ross RAAF
AWM Canberra
Taken 12 Jan 2013.
Poppys Signify All those Killed on 12 Jan.

Ian Ross - Runnymeade Memorial uk.

"Death Notices - On Active Service.

F/O Ross I.S. 18839
Ian Stewart Presumed Killed 12 January 1945 (Norway).

Beloved and Only Son of Chrissie and Alec (Deceased).
Treasured Memories of My Darling Son.
Muma.

Adored Only Brother and Pal of Nan and Brother in law of Norm.
Also a tribute to His Gallant RAF Crew who perished with him.

"Not for Just a Day, but always darling 'Bruv', til we meet again".

Dearly Loved only Brother of Jean.
Brother in law of Harry and Uncle to Baby Ian.

"In Our Home There Is A Beautiful Picture
To Us It Is Dearer Then Gold.

Its The Picture Of Our Darling Brother,
Whose Memory Will Never Grow Old".

Dearly Loved and Loving Fiance of Ivie.
"I'll Always Remember Darling".

From Obit Aust Newspaper.
Australia 1945".

Ian Ross Dambusters Memorial UK