Australia's Few. 30 September 1940

At 9.05 a.m. on 30 September, John Crossman was on patrol with 46 Squadron, again in V6748 and again in company with 249 Squadron. They were tasked with patrolling the Hornchurch line, south of the Thames Estuary. They saw about 20 Me 109s and 10 Me 110s but did not intercept. ‘A large formation Me 109s passed us but we did not attack—were looking for bombers.’

At 1.15 p.m., again flying V6748, John and 46 Squadron were again patrolling the Hornchurch line with 249 Squadron. This was his 19th operational sortie. 46 Squadron encountered a gaggle of Me 109s and John was killed in the ensuing battle. V6748 crashed in flames at Tablehurst Farm in Forest Row, East Sussex.

George Barclay of 249 Squadron witnessed John’s death:

‘No. 46 were attacked by 109s ... I saw a Hurricane going down in flames and a parachute above us, possibly a Jerry.’
 

Twenty-two year old John Dallas Crossman was a great swimmer, enjoyed music, collected stamps and was a voracious reader. He had elegant hands and his deft fingers were good at electrical work but his greatest enthusiasm was for flying. He was mad about aeroplanes from the time he could walk and he loved making balsa wood models. Soon, he turned to the real thing. When he was fourteen, Charles Kingsford Smith came to Newcastle to give joyrides. John’s father took him to the aerodrome and, eyes aglow with excitement, John watched as Smithy thrilled passenger after passenger in hour-long flights. Soon it was his turn, and he was hooked. From that moment on, all he wanted to do was fly. When war was first declared he felt that, ‘should this last any time it seems unlikely that I’ll ever see home again.’ But he was resigned to it. ‘Still I expect it can’t be helped. A fellow has to realise that.’ And so, John did not return home. He fell in combat. He was the eleventh Australian to die in the Battle of Britain.