portrait


John Derek Fortescue Flannery



John was born in England on 16th May 1922; the son of Sir Harold Fortescue Flannery and Lady Maud (née Boswell).

John fought in the Second World War as a Flying Officer (#131609) in the 6th Squadron of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. He was killed in action on 5th June 1944 in Cassino, Italy; scene of some of the fiercest fighting of the Italian campaign.

It is likely that he was flying one of the following warplanes :

Type: Spitfire Mk. IX
Function: fighter
Year: 1942 Crew: 1 Engines: 1 * 1565hp R.R. Merlin 61
Wing Span: 11.23m Length: 9.47m Height: 3.86m Wing Area: 22.48m2
Empty Weight: 2556kg Max.Weight: 4309kg
Speed: 656km/h Ceiling: 13400m Range: 700km
Armament: 2*g20mm 4*mg7.7mm

Type: Spitfire Mk. XIV
Function: fighter
Year: 1944 Crew: 1 Engines: 1 * 2050hp R.R. Griffon 65
Wing Span: 11.23m Length: 9.96m Height: 3.86m Wing Area: 22.48m2
Empty Weight: 2994kg Max.Weight: 3856kg
Speed: 721km/h Ceiling: 13560m Range: 1368km
Armament: 2*g20mm 4*mg7.7mm b225kg

If he had survived the war, he would have succeeded to the baronetcy upon his father's death in 1959.


[his portrait is illustrated above; courtesy of his cousin, David Lindsay]