Wing Commander Ivan McLeod Cameron 28 September 1939 The first Australian to be killed in action was probably Wing Commander Ivan McLeod Cameron, who was serving with Britain's Royal Air Force (RAF) at the outbreak of war. Wing Commander Cameron, 110 Squadron RAF, was on a reconnaissance flight over Germany on 28 September 1939 when his Bristol Blenheim bomber, serial N6212, was intercepted and shot down by a German pilot, Feldwebel Klaus Faber, of l/JG I, Luftwaffe. The Blenheim crashed near Kiel, Germany. Wing Commander Cameron is buried at Reichswald Forest Cemetery, Kleve in Germany. He was killed whilst flying Blenheim IV, N6212 of No 110 Sqn on a reconnaissance mission to Munster. He is buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Birth 1908 Bealiba, Vic Sex Male Died 23 Sep 1939 Kiel, Germany Buried Reichswald, Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany Father Alexander Cameron, b. 1865, Dunolly, Vic Mother Isabel Louise Sawell, b. 1868, Kilmore, Vic Notes Wing Commander 110 Sqn RAF, KIA From the Argus Newspaper Melbourne Victoria NLA Australian Newspapers - article display Quote: BEALIBA, Sunday. - Relatives of Acting Wing-Commander Ivan McLeod Cameron have received a cable message from the British Ministry that he was reported missing after air operations on Thursday last. Acting Wing-Commander Cameron, who was appointed to this position In September, 1938, was born at Bealiba in 1908. His father was the late Alexander Cameron, who owned the Bealiba sheep station, and the Rev. D. A. Cameron, a former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria, is an uncle. Acting Wing-Commander Cameron was educated at the Maryborough High School and Geelong College. After spending several months with the R.A.A.F. in Victoria he left Australia for England in 1927 on a four years' short-term commission in the Royal Air Force. On completion of this term he spent two years with the R.A.F. doing his engineering course, and was then appointed permanently to the R.A.F. He was transferred to Iraq, where he spent two years, then returned to Australia, where he served for three months with a bomber transport squadron. He then returned to Iraq for 12 months, where he was transferred back to England and promoted to Squadron Leader. This entry from BCL Vol.1 28 September 1939 110 Squadron Blenheim IV N6212 VE- Op. Reconnaissance. W/C. I McLeod Cameron + CWGC :: Casualty Details Sgt. T C. Hammond + CWGC :: Casualty Details AC1. T. Fullerton + CWGC :: Casualty Details Took off 0740 hrs Wattisham with the intention of investigating the Munster area. The entire crew are buried in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.
It is good that I could find information on him. My generation, your generation and the next generations need to know who gave their lives to ensure our freedom. Cheers Geoff
