The Airmen's Stories - P/O J Redman

John Redman joined the RAF on a short service commission in February 1939 and was posted to 245 Squadron at Leconfield on 6th November. Over Dunkirk on 1st June 1940 he claimed a Me109 destroyed. On 16th September he was posted to 43 Squadron at Usworth and then moved to 257 Squadron at Martlesham Heath on 22nd September. After combat with Me109’s over Deal on 12th October he crash-landed at Saffrey Farm, Selling, Kent but was unhurt.

From this point on his service career is very poorly documented and it seems that he may have requested overseas postings as a consequence of an unhappy marriage contracted in October 1940. What is certain is that by early 1943 he was a RAF Liason Officer with No.1 Column of Orde Wingate's 77th Indian Infantry Brigade (Chindits). These columns penetrated deep into Burma and relied on resupply by air, hence the RAF presence. The first campaign over-reached itself and had to stage a fighting withdrawal with many wounded and sick being left behind. Redman was killed on or about 20 April 1943 but the circumstances remain unknown.

He is commemorated on the Singapore Memorial at Kranji (below).

(Photograph above courtesy of Jonathan Morford and Captain Robert L Koprowski, US Army (Veteran))