Flying Officer John Horan Fought To The End - What a Hero!
Jun 18, 2019 20:45:20 GMT 12
chinapilot and fwx like this
Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 18, 2019 20:45:20 GMT 12
HEROIC AIRMAN
AUCKLAND GUNNER FOUGHT TO THE END
(R.N.Z.A.F. Official News Service)
AIR COMMAND. S.E. ASIA. Jan. 10
How the supreme courage of a R.N.Z.A.F. gunner, Flying-Officer John Spencer Horan, of Auckland, who, even though fatally wounded, remained at his post, undoubtedly saved the lives of the remainder of the crew of his aircraft, was related at a forward airfield on the Burma Front yesterday by the pilot of the aircraft concerned.
A Sea Otter rescue aircraft was on reconnaissance off the Akyab coast when it was suddenly discovered that eight Japanese Oscars were on its tail. Two came into the attack. Flying-Officer Horan, gunner in the Sea Otter, opened fire. Two minutes later he reported he was hit. The first navigator went aft and found him unconscious, with his left hand blown off.
Recovering consciousness as he was being dragged back into tho fuselage, Flying-Officer Horan insisted on returning to the guns. He jammed them against his chest, and continued to hold off the enemy.
The engine was now on fire, the instrument panel shattered, flaps shot away and the tail ablaze. Bullets from the enemy were continually passing through the aircraft.
Flying Officer John Horan
Flying-Officer Horan received further wounds in the head, but though these totalled seven, his fire never failed. He fired 800 rounds, and was still firing as the pilot managed to set down the blazing aircraft outside the breakers and beach her. The gunner then died.
Two hours later, the remainder of the crew, including the navigator, who also belongs to the R.N.Z.A.F., Flight Sergeant J. A. Lawson, of Onehunga, were flying again. They succeeded in rescuing a Spitfire pilot from the sea. The pilot of the Sea Otter, Flight Lieutenant Peter Almack, of England, insists that Flying-Officer Horan saved the lives of the remainder of the crew.
Flying-Officer J. S. Horan was the husband of Mrs J. S. Horan, of England, and the son of Mr and Mrs P. Horan, of Manurewa. He was in his 25th year, and joined the R.N.Z.A.F. in February, 1940. He left New Zealand in April of the same year, and became a member of a night fighter squadron during the Battle of Britain. He was later transferred to the Coastal Command, and flew as far north as Norway in air sea rescue service. He qualified for return to New Zealand after he had been on service for four years, but elected to remain with his commanding officer and volunteered for the India Command, his ambition being to be a member of the crew which first flew into a liberated Singapore. The aircraft in which he served was named "Singapore Bound."
New Zealand Herald, 19 January 1945
AUCKLAND GUNNER FOUGHT TO THE END
(R.N.Z.A.F. Official News Service)
AIR COMMAND. S.E. ASIA. Jan. 10
How the supreme courage of a R.N.Z.A.F. gunner, Flying-Officer John Spencer Horan, of Auckland, who, even though fatally wounded, remained at his post, undoubtedly saved the lives of the remainder of the crew of his aircraft, was related at a forward airfield on the Burma Front yesterday by the pilot of the aircraft concerned.
A Sea Otter rescue aircraft was on reconnaissance off the Akyab coast when it was suddenly discovered that eight Japanese Oscars were on its tail. Two came into the attack. Flying-Officer Horan, gunner in the Sea Otter, opened fire. Two minutes later he reported he was hit. The first navigator went aft and found him unconscious, with his left hand blown off.
Recovering consciousness as he was being dragged back into tho fuselage, Flying-Officer Horan insisted on returning to the guns. He jammed them against his chest, and continued to hold off the enemy.
The engine was now on fire, the instrument panel shattered, flaps shot away and the tail ablaze. Bullets from the enemy were continually passing through the aircraft.
Flying Officer John Horan
Flying-Officer Horan received further wounds in the head, but though these totalled seven, his fire never failed. He fired 800 rounds, and was still firing as the pilot managed to set down the blazing aircraft outside the breakers and beach her. The gunner then died.
Two hours later, the remainder of the crew, including the navigator, who also belongs to the R.N.Z.A.F., Flight Sergeant J. A. Lawson, of Onehunga, were flying again. They succeeded in rescuing a Spitfire pilot from the sea. The pilot of the Sea Otter, Flight Lieutenant Peter Almack, of England, insists that Flying-Officer Horan saved the lives of the remainder of the crew.
Flying-Officer J. S. Horan was the husband of Mrs J. S. Horan, of England, and the son of Mr and Mrs P. Horan, of Manurewa. He was in his 25th year, and joined the R.N.Z.A.F. in February, 1940. He left New Zealand in April of the same year, and became a member of a night fighter squadron during the Battle of Britain. He was later transferred to the Coastal Command, and flew as far north as Norway in air sea rescue service. He qualified for return to New Zealand after he had been on service for four years, but elected to remain with his commanding officer and volunteered for the India Command, his ambition being to be a member of the crew which first flew into a liberated Singapore. The aircraft in which he served was named "Singapore Bound."
New Zealand Herald, 19 January 1945