Flight Sergeant John Parr Ion
- Rank
- Flight Sergeant
- Service number
- 427833
- Unit
- Royal Australian Air Force 460 Squadron
- Cause of death
- Killed in Action
- Place of death
- North Sea, Holland
- Date of death
- 31 August 1944
- Age
- 20
- Plaque number
- L106B
- Co-located plaques
- L106 - FSGT Raymond Sherwood
- L106A - FSGT Ronald Lawn
- Dedicated by
- Family on 18 August 2018
- More information
Biography presented during plaque dedication:
Flight Sergeant John Parr Ion was born at Claremont, Western Australia in July 1924. His parents were Thomas and Isabelle Ion and he had two sisters.
John was home schooled on the family farm at Ballidu. He later attended Perth boys school, attaining his junior certificate and then city commercial college.
He led an adventurous life on the farm and, as a keen sportsman, played football and cricket.
Following school, he worked for the Royal Insurance Company as a clerk.
John enlisted in the Royal Australian Airforce in October 1942.
Following training at 4 initial training school, he attended 1 wireless air gunner school in Ballarat, Victoria in November 1942 then 3 bombing air gunnery school at West Sale, Victoria, in May 1943.
Promoted to sergeant in June 1943, John was re-mustered to wireless operator/air gunner and in December 1943 was promoted to flight sergeant.
In August 1943, John sailed from Sydney and disembarked in England in October.
Following further specialist training, he joined 460 squadron in June 1944 as a wireless operator/air gunner, flying in Lancaster bomber aircraft.
On 31 August 1944, Lancaster PS176 took off from Binbrook, Lincolnshire to bomb a ‘v’ rocket dump at Raimbert, France. Nothing was heard from the aircraft again.
The body of Flight Sergeant Ion was washed ashore on the island of Noord-Beveland.
Flight Sergeant John Parr Ion, service number 427833 of 460 Squadron, was killed in action over the North Sea on 31 August 1944.
He was 20 years of age and is buried in the Colijnsplaat general cemetery, Noord-Beveland Island, Zeeland, Netherlands.