James L Heron. Jim Heron , a Queenslander, was one of 22 Australians offered a Short Service Commission in Australia by the RAF in 1939. He arrived in England in September of that year and joined the Squadron at Wick at the end of ‘1940 where he flew his first op in January ‘1941. He served with 269 Sqn in Kaldadarnes from July ‘1941 until the end of ‘1942, when he joined 59 Squadron and was later with Transport Command until January ‘1946. After the war Jim joined BOAC, retiring as Captain in ‘1971. Following other civil flying appointments he and his wife retired to Australia in 1983. He died following a tragic accident in Sydney on October 23rd 2000. source

F/L Heron was pilot of Flying Fortress FA698, when it crash landed on approach to base. view details

Update Feb 2020: Graham Moore has kindly submitted the following PDF (downloadable here - 1.4mb). "A narrative of the last flight of Boeing B-17 Fortress, FA.698, which crashed at Luscott Barton, near Braunton on 26 March 1943, killing three air crew. Copyright ©www.BritishMilitaryHistory.co.uk (2019)." Fantastic work by the group. Thank you Graham!