A short, handwritten letter arrived at the War Office on 8 November 1940. "Could you please give me any information concerning Pilot Officer John D. Crossman, last heard of at Stapleford Tawney, Essex, on the 22 Sept 1940?" The writer was a Miss Hilary Back of King's Lynn. The personnel services department at the Air Ministry was tasked with responding. It informed Miss Back, "with regret" that Crossman had lost his life "as the result of air operations at Forest Row" on 30 September. Hilary Back's connection to Crossman has not been recorded. But the young Australian clearly touched the lives of many during his brief period fighting from British shores. Another was 18-year-old Jacqueline Bush of Gidea Park, who got to know Crossman and another of No 46 Squadron's Hurricane pilots, the Chilean-born Plt Off William 'Pat' Pattullo, when they were stationed at Stapleford Tawney. The trio rapidly became firm friends, often travelling around together in John's motor car. All too soon, Jacqueline's world would be shattered, first by the loss of Crossman and then, less than a month later, of Pattullo.
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