Lance, Everitt Murray

Identity

Person No.

31228

Service No.

O316996

Last Name

Lance 2

First Name

Everitt Murray

Initials

E M

Date of Birth

Unknown

Est. Birth Year

1928 (±1 yr) 67

Age at Death

43

Military Service

Rank

Flight Lieutenant

Regiment

Royal Australian Air Force 19

Unit

9 Sqdn. 12

Secondary Unit

Army

Death Record

Date of Death

07 June 1971 127

Cause of Death

Killed in action 9,874

Killed in action, helicopter crashed and burned. They were providing gunship, ammunition resupply and casualty evacuation support for Bravo Company of the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment and Centurion tanks of the 1st Armoured Regiment, who were involved in an attack on an enemy bunker system in Long Khanh province as part of Operation Overlord. During an ammunition resupply, Lance's helicopter was hit by enemy fire and crashed into trees killing him, the gunner and injuring two others

Grave Reference

ANZ/R/8 CHS L/C 11/2/72 Lawn RSL 1

Location

Country

Australia 26

Locality

Australia Capital Territory 1

Cemetery

CANBERRA (WODEN) PUBLIC CEMETERY 1

Additional Information

Notes

Husband of Margaret Lance. Father of Murray, Graham and Meredath. Trained as a pilot in the South African Air Force and subsequently served with No 2 Squadron SAAF (flying Cheetahs) in the Korean conflict. Received the USA's Distinguished Flying Cross. Unconfirmed reports have it that he was also awarded a further USA decoration, The Air Medal. After leaving the SAAF he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force and was serving with the Royal Australian Air Force flying helicopters, when he was shot down and killed during operations in Vietnam. "Lofty" features prominently in the book "South African Flying Cheetahs in Korea" by Dermott Moore and Peter Bagshaw, published by Ashanti Publishing.

Citation

Awarded while serving with the South African Air Force in the Korean War

External Source

Unknown

South African War Graves Project

southafricawargraves.org — record #31228

Lance, Everitt Murray (E M)