Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of Matthew and Florence Date of Mornington, Victoria, John was born in Western Australia and enlisted from there. (RAAF records notdigitized)

Halifax NA 508 took off from RAF Full Sutton, Yorkshire at 2315 hours on the night of 16/17 June 1944, detailed to bomb Sterkrade, Germany.

THE CREW:RAAF Pilot Officer R A W Blair -Pilot RAF Sergeant H L Moore -Flight Engineer RAAF Pilot Officer L G Pratt -Observer RAAF Flight Sergeant G A Armstrong -Air Bomber RAAF Warrant Officer J P O’Meara -Wireless Air Gunner RAAF Flying Officer J M Date -Mid Upper Gunner RAF Sergeant D G Tastin -Tail Gunner

A 1947 report by a Missing Research & Enquiry team stated “the Communal Police at Neuwer-Amstel reported that the aircraft crashed in flames at Neuwer-Amstel on the night of 16/17 June,1944.German documents confirmed that only one body was recovered that of WO O’Meara” He is buried at the Bergen-Op-Zoom War Cemetery, Netherlands. Until 1990 the other six crew members hadno known grave and their names are commemorated on the Memorial to the Missing, Runnymede, Surrey. It was in June of that year that the wreckage of NA508 was uncovered by the Recovery Team of the Royal Netherlands Air Force, including the remains of five of the crew, who were buried at the Bergen op Zoom Canadian War Cemetery on 8 October 1991. Flying Officer Date is remembered with honour at the Australian War Memorial.

https://docplayer.net/57197404-77-squadron-raf-raaf-airmen-killed-whilst-on-active-service-with-77-squadron-raf-world-war-ii.html