In Memory Of

MYBURGH, JOHN ADRIAN

Service Details
Age:
 19
Date of Birth:
 -0001-11-30
Rank:
 Second Lieutenant
Unit:
 55th Sqdn.
Unit 2:
 and General List
Regiment:
 Royal Flying Corps
Date of Death:
 1917-04-10
Cause of Death:
 Died of wounds, received flying on DH4; wounded on the 8th April, returning from a raid on the Headquarters of Crown Prince Rupprecht near Mons in Belgium
Commemoration
Grave Reference:
 V. B. 1.
Cemetery:
 ST. PIERRE CEMETERY, AMIENS
Localitly:
 Somme
Country:
 France
Additional Information
Son of Ryk Henry and Blanche Myburgh, of The Civil Service Club, Cape Town, South Africa. A native of Cape Town, South Africa; joined Royal Flying Corps, 1916, and after training at the Central School of Flying was posted as Second Lieutenant (Pilot) 55 Squadron (DH4's), Lilliborne, Northamptonshire, 15.2.1917; he moved with the squadron to Fienvillers, France, and on 8.4.1917, whilst flying DH4 A2160, 'bombers of 55 Squadron were raiding a chateau at Hardenpont, up near Mons. This Squadron was based at Fienvillers, south-west of Doullens, and was the first DH4 Squadron to operate in France, having come out from England in March. Their first operation was flown on 3 April. Today it would suffer its first losses. The chateau housed the Headquarters of Crown Prince Rupprecht's Army Group although the raid did not cause him any personal problems. On the return journey, Jasta 11 were waiting for the bombers, and met them north of Cambrai at 14.25. In the fight which ensued, two 'Fours' were brought down, one by Schafer (A2140), the other by Wolff (A2141), one at Epinoy, one at Blecourt, while a third (A2160) was hit by flak, coming down south-west of Amiens. This was probably the 'grosskampf aircraft' claimed by Flakzug 17, seen to go down over Amigny' (Bloody April.....Black September, refers); Myburgh died of his wounds two days after the bombing raid.